THE DALLAS POST/Wednesday, March 5, 1986 11
School
Common Science
Joe Jeffers, Ph.D.
Tw
3
Work exhibited
Rev. Michael Piccola, Principal of
Bishop O'Reilly High School, Kings-
ton, has announced the honor roll
for the second marking period.
The following students have been
named to the list:
DISTINGUISHED HONORS (95
and over): David Rovinsky, senior;
Maria Roccgrandi, junior; Lucas
Balberchak, sophomore; Kristen
Johnson, freshman; Diana Rocco-
grandi, freshman; Joan Segrave-
Daly, freshman.
FIRST HONORS (90 to 94):
Sandra Brislin, senior; Christine
Sarris, senior; Jean Butchko,
junior; Julie Ann Hlavae, junior;
Jennifer Judge, junior; Doreen Lip-
inski, junior; Nelson Snyder, junior;
Dennis Beck, sophomore; Jennifer
Betz, sophomore; Kristin Borofski,
sophomore; Erin Mahon, sopho-
more; Sharon Pizzella, sophomore;
Lisa Rasmovicz, sophomore;
Angela Roccograndi, sophomore;
John Rokosz, sophomore; Joseph
Yerashunas, sophomore; Andrew
Balberchak, freshman; Joanne
Derwin, freshman; Megan Fisher,
freshman; Leane Lipinski, fresh-
man; Paula Pavolonia, freshman;
Michael Sabadish, freshman; Mich-
ele Vecerkauskas, freshman; Anas-
tasia Wedemeyer, freshman;
Morgan Woods, freshman.
SECOND HONORS (85 to 89):
Gina Bayo, senior; Michael Beck,
senior; Maria Brussock, senior;
Michael Hrabovsky, senior; Joan
Joyce, senior; Katherine Kormos,
cenior; Dori Malatino, senior;
Andrew Martin, senior; Zoann
Nicolo, senior; Mark Noonan,
senior; Michael Ostrowski, senior;
Diane Parulski, senior; Susan
Shaner, senior; Maria Stahovec,
senior; Jeanette Stofko, senior; Lisa
VanEtten, senior; Amy Wagner,
senior; Kathleen Ambruso, junior;
Melissa Broden, junior; Kelly
Harris, junior; Chris Kalna, junior;
Christian Kelley, junior; Michael
Kovalick, junior; Marueen
Maheady, junior; Noelle Markoch,
junior; Colleen Martin, junior;
Michele Mattie, junior; Jamie
Mazeitis, junior; Jessica McCabe,
junior; Michele Mizenko, junior;
Sonda Novicki, junior; Paul Peto-
nak, junior; Kerrie Wilce, junior;
Heather Baker, sophomore; Arlene
Casterline, sophomore; Margaret
Hayes, sophomore; Kerry Ann
Hlavac, sophomore; Sharon Huda-
cek, sophomore; Kevin Kile, sopho-
more; Mark Krajnak, sophomore;
Karen Novicki, sophomore; Laura
Rolland, sophomore; Nicholas
Russo, sophomore; Donna Silinski,
sophomore; Annette Sitar, sopho-
more; Frank Spencer, sophomore;
Thomas Templeton, sophomore;
Sharon Vacendak, sophomore; Jose-
phine Territo, sophomore; Bene-
Students cited
Nancy H. McGuire,
dicta Tinner, sophomore;
Yarashas, sophomore; Victor
Ambruso, freshman; Adam Bialek,
freshman; JoEllen Drapiewski,
freshman; Edward Dunbar, fresh-
man; Steven Fahey, freshman;
Albert Finarelli, freshman; Molly
Hayes, freshman; Katherine Jen-
nings, freshman; Maria Johnson,
freshman; Jeffrey Leary, fresh-
man; Brian Lorigan, freshman;
Lisa Ann Madden, freshman.
{
(EDITOR’S NOTE: “Common Science” is a science
column written by Joe Jeffers, Ph.D. Jeffers received
the Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from
Purdue University. He teaches chemistry and biology
at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkan-
sas. “Common Science’ is sponsored by The National
Science Foundation and appears periodically in Th
Dallas Post.) x
The story goes something like this. A man decided to
murder his business partner by adding small amounts
of arsenic to his coffee each morning. He continued
this practice for some time, assuming that his partner
would gradually become ill and die and, in that way,
no one would suspect that he had been poisoned. One
day the would-be murderer became quite ill himself
and needed a blood transfusion. His partner, having
the same blood type, was only too happy to donate
blood. Upon receiving the blood transfusion, the man
died of arsenic poisoning. This is the stuff of murder
mysteries. But it does point up some interesting
characteristics of arsenic poisoning. The amount of
arsenic required to poison an individual varies widely
from person to person. Some persons even develop a
tolerance to doses that would kill others. Presumably
the partner developed such a tolerance and his blood
contained enough arsenic to kill a more susceptible
person.
Arsenic, like other poisonous elements, may lead to
acute or chronic poisoning. Acute poisoning is the
result of a single relatively large dose of poison. The
symptoms arise suddenly and the intense effect
foolows very soon. In the case of arsenic a lethal dose
would lead to a collapse of the circulatory system.
Chornic poisoning follows repeated exposure to small
doses. Symptoms arise gradually and may go almost
unnoticed. One becomes increasingly weaker. Depend-
ing on the poison, there may be effects on the nervous
system, the blood and blood forming tissues, and the
digestive tract. Chronic arsenic poisoning results in
loss of strength, diarrhea or constipation, nervous
confusion, and even cancer.
Which elements are poisons? Generally if the
element is abundant on the earth’s surface or in the
sea, it is not particularly toxic. Afterall, life has
developed with these materials all around. The toxic
elements, mostly metals, are only abundant deeper in
the earth. Man has found numerous uses for these
trace metals and has mined them in large quantities.
Living creatures including man have been brought in
contact with substances their bodies have not adapted
to. The result is usually chronic poisoning.
Consider the Romans. They had lead pipes for water
transport and lead storage vessels for wines. Grad-
ually they were poisoned by lead. Many of their
leaders behaved in a crazy fashion. Lead may have
led to the fall of Rome.
We faced a similar problem a few years ago when
leaded gasoline was in widespread use. A California
study showed that persons living next to freeways had
markedly higher levels of lead in their blood than
persons living a mile away from the freeway. Children
were especially susceptible. Lead poisoning resulted in
mental retardation and cerebral palsy. All of the
problems did not come from leaded gasoline, however.
Older paints contained lead, and small children would
eat paint as it flaked off of walls. The cost of caring
for those with lead poisoning was several hundred
million dollars a year. Today we have unleaded paints
and most of the gasoline is unleaded. The problem is
still with us, but it will gradually get better.
Along with lead, four other toxic trace metals -
cadmium, beryllium, antimony, mercury - are
involved in what some experts consider at least half
the deaths in the United States.
Heart diseases from hardening of the arteries,
hypertension, strokes, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver
and probably emphysema involve trace metals. All of
these elements are present in coal and oil. As these
fuels are burned the trace metals are put into the air.
They come from other sources too. Cadmium is used
as an anticorrosive plating on metal parts. Some
wastes from this manufacturing process get washed
into rivers. It also comes from the smelting of zinc
and copper and from acid rain dissolving it out of
galvanized roofs. Trace quantities are present in
cigarettes. At low levels it causes high blood pressure.
At high levels it causes low blood pressure and the
kidneys and liver are damaged. It can also lead to the
loss of calcium from bones, which make them easier
to break.
Mercury is five times as toxic as lead. However, it is
not very soluable in water. As methyl mercury it is
another fifty times more toxic. At Japan’s Minimata
Bay a plastics manufacturer dumped methyl mercury
into the water. It got into the food chain and led to
chronic poisoning of large numbers of people. Many
died; others became mentally retarded. Blindness and
paralysis were also common.
Antimony is used in glazes. Fortunately exposure
levels are low except in certain industries. Miners,
foundry workers, typesetters and rubber compounders
are at increased risk. Antimony causes heart muscle
to weaken and break down. Beryllium, used in the
alloy industry, is probably the most toxic of the group.
It causes pulmonary granulomatosis, the formation in
the lungs of a kind of scar tissue.
There is still so much more to learn about the
effects of trace metals. Hopefully, we will not wait
until a catastrophe is upon us to learn to control their
emission into the environment.
Educators meet
Registration
scheduled
Gerald J. Wycallis, Superintend-
ent of the Dallas School District,
announces Kindergarten Registra-
tion for the 1986-87 school year will
be held in the Dallas Administrative
Office Building, Church Street,
Dallas, on March 17, 18, 19 and 20.
Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 12 noon
and 1 pm. to 4 p.m. Monday
through Thursday. A Birth Certifi-
cate or other acceptable evidence of
age must accompany each registra-
tion. A child must be five years of
age on or before September 30, 1086
to make him or her eligible for
Kindergarten.
Those with last names beginning
with A, B, C, D, E, and F will
register on Monday, March 17;
those with G, H, I, J, K, and L on
Tuesday, March 18; those with M,
N, O, P, Q and R on Wednesday,
March 19; and those with S, T, U, V,
W, X, Y, and Z on Thursday, March
20. The children who will enter First
Grade, but did not attend the Kin-
dergarten program this past term,
may also register Thursday, March
In addition to the registration,
vision, speech and hearing screen-
ings will be given. 7
The school officials need to review
the child’s immunizations to be cer-
tain the child meets the standards
as set by the state regarding immu-
nizations. Parents are to bring all
records of their child’s immuniza-
tions. If the student’s records do not
meet the standards, he or she will
not be able to attend school.
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