Evening star., 1962-12-20
Stop Killing
Yourself
By Dr.. Peter J. Steincrohn
Auto Seat Belts
A Help if Used

a medical column on health
day after day, and yet be
faced with such scourges as
heart disease and cancer
which never seem to give an
inch"
/ tell them that heart dis
ease and cancer have sur
rendered much more than
inches of territory since we
have brought scientific pres
sure to bear on them. / am
sure you have been reading
and hearing of the newer
methods of treating high
blood pressure. of the amaz-
ing strides in heart surgery,
and in operative and radia-
tion methods that promise
to cure cancer If only you
get to the doctor early
enough.
BUT THERE is one hu-
man scourge that really
illustrates me. Lump it all
under auto accidents! The
fight against cancer and
heart disease is necessarily
a slow one-although I am
really optimistic enough to
believe that we will have
these under control within a
few short years. But auto
deaths and mutilations!
What excuse do we have for
almost 10000 deaths a year
and hundreds of thousands
of broken heads, arms, legs;
of babies and the aged
killed; of teens forever con-
signed to wheel chairs or
beds?
Do we all have within us
an invitation to annihila-
ton? Isn't it true, as Freud
said, and as / tried to en-
phasize in my writings, that
each of us has the urge to
self-destruction; which is
daily trying to overcome
that Of our deep-seated in
stinct, self-preservation.
For example, consider such
a simple remedy as seat
belts. Experts tell us that If
we used them we could cut
down auto deaths by the
thousands each year. But we
don't use them. Even If there
were a law, I wonder if we
would.
Yes, this gives me a feeling
of Illustration. For I think,
Suppose we really do dis
cover some prevention or
cure for cancer within the
year? And suppose all you
need to do is go to a doctors
office for an injection once
a week for three weeks. And
suppose it doesn't cost any,
thing. It's on the house,
because everyone is so happy
at the discovery.
Knowing all this, I Won
der how many persons will
take advantage of this life
saving procedure. An injec-
ton once a week. or twice a
week? But how many will
think 1t too much a bother
to go for the third injec-
tion?"
FRUSTRATION? Yes. But
I try not to let myself think
along these lines for any
length of time. I have hopes
that someday we will stop
killing ourselves; we will
take advantage of the de-
fensive measures which self
preservation holds out for
us.
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: My
12-year-old son is quite
short for his age. Do you
recommend that he take
hormone shots to "shoot
up?"-Mrs. E.
THERE'S TOO MUCH
shooting going around as it
is. MY answer is negative"
as they say in the service.
=
Dear Dr.. Steincrohn: I
went into a blood bank the
other day and offered to be
a blood donor. / am in per-
feet health but they refused
on the grounds that I am
So. Doesn't that seem silly?
Mr.. N.
YOUR INTENTIONS are
good. and appreciated, I'm
sure. But the rule not to
accept the gift Of blood from
people over so is the proce-
dure in most such agencies.
I believe the acceptable
range is between the ages Of
l0 and SO.
(Bell Syndicate FeatureD
DR.. Stetncrohn's Iedtlet,
Get the Snooze Habit" t1tll
be mailed on receipt OF a
stamped. selt-dddressed en-
Uelope and 10 cents In coin
for handling. Address DR..
Stetncrohn In care OF The
EpeninO Star.
Tomoryov. Ear pIuox