- PAGE 82, THE HERALD, Wednesday, November 24, 1976 Food prices continue decline Food for home con- sumption, as measured by the Anti-Inflation Board's Food Price index, has declined for the fourth consecutive month. . Food prices in mid- October were 0.9 percent below those recorded in mid-September, and 3.1 reent below mid-October ast year. With the exception of the first two weeks in April, average retail food prices are at the lowest level recorded over the last twelve months, The index, based on 1974 prices equalling 100, stood at 114.7 on October 15 compared to 119.0 a year earlier. This month, significant price declines were monitored for beef, pork, eggs, poultry, fresh fruit and sugar, while prices of fresh and processed vegetables, processed fruit, fish and beverages have increased. The largest price increases recorded were for fresh vegetables, due mainly to the .impact of unfavourable weather conditions on local supply. Several food commodities are less expensive to buy now than a year ago, for example, beef, pork, poultry, fresh fruit, sugar, fats andoils. Fish and coffee are now more expensive than in October, 1975. The decline in retail beef prices continued this month and, currently, average prices are 2.3 percent below those reported in mid- September. However, this decline is expected to be reversed within the next month due to recent in- creases in live cattle prices. Hog prices declined by 20 percent over the past month, with the first half of October showing _ the greatest decrease. Retail pork prices declined by only 3.7 percent since mid- September. However, there is typically a two to three week time lag before lower dressed hog prices filter through to the retail level. The Anti-Inflation Board will be closely monitoring retail pork .prices to ensure that lower prices are passed ‘on to the consumer. Price declines for poultry . and eggs were recorded in ; the last month. Poultry rices were 0.8 percent low mid-September levels + and 7.3 percent below last : year. These price declines ‘ are due, in part, to in- ‘ creased competition from ? U.S. oultry. imports, > particularly in eastern 1 Canada, Egg prices are > down 09 percent from last ; month but are 1,9 percent > above levels of one year ago. + An increase of 0.7 percent ! was recorded for the fish ? component af the index this + month due mainly to higher t tuna prices which followed. t ‘an -increase in tuna : wholesale prices in August + and September. Higher > salmon and tuna prices have > been largely responsible for ; the 9.2 percent increase in ~* the fish component of the index over the past year. + Substantially higher retail 2 prices for salmon late last + all were the results of a + very poor catch during the + 1975 season. To date, 1976 : canned salmon pack ap- 2 pears adequate although not » abundant and wholesale 3 prices are expected to remain stable. Fresh fruit prices are nine percent below levels of a ‘month ago. Apple prices declined substantia ly as local supplies started to reach major urban centres. Small declines in orange r turn to... TURN TO US WITH CONFIDENCE MacKays Funeral Home Phoee 635-2444 Terrace, B.C. - Serving Kitimat SO te ee ee ee ee ee eo ee od a prices in some centres alsa contributed to the lower level of the fresh fruit component of the index. Nat only are fresh fruit prices substantially below last, month's levels, they are also 6.5 percent below levels of a year ago. Orange prices, in rticular, are significantly ower than a year ago due to an increase in supplies from the U.S. Prices of fresh vegetables increased by 8.9 percent during the past month. Supplies of lettuce and field tomatoes have been ad- versely affected by un- favourable weather con- ditions in Canada and California. A much im- roved potato harvest is eeping potato prices below last year’s levels. However, strong export demand is holding market prices for potatoes above what would otherwise be expected with such good domestic supplies available. The impact of lower in- ternational sugar prices continues to be felt at the retail level. the ‘‘Other Food” component of the index, which includes sugar, showed a further decline of 0.9 percent since mid- September. It is now 6.9 percent below levels of a year ago. An increase of 0.6 percent in beverage prices occurred this past month. — In- ternational coffee prices have continued to increase but, as yet, have not been fully passed on to the retail level. Beverage prices are now 18.3 percent higher than they were in mid-October last year. - The cost of a nutritious diet for a family of four for the period ending October 15 is lower. The cost of the basket decreased 39 cents during the past month and the 12-vity weighted average cost now stands at $43.01. The cost of the correspon- ding week in 1975 was $42.90. hi Dr. Lamb _| By Lawrence E. Lamb, M.D. DEAR DR. LAMB — About three months ago J] was told I am slightly anemic. The doc- tor told me to take one iron tablet every day. I’ve been go- ing to him for weight problems. I'm 16 and have reduced from. 156 to 142 pounds. I have been taking Eskatrol for my weight and have been wondering If it con- tributed to my iron deficiency anemia. . I have also been given: Erythromycin by a der- matlologist for herpes on my left arm. Does iron deficiency anemia, Eskatrol or Erythromycin cause severe headaches, neckaches, lightheadedness and terrific black and blue marks? I'm just a high school stu- dent and don’t have any money ta run to the nearest doctor, so I need your help. DEAR READER — I can't say without tests, but part of your problem could be the Eskatrol.: It is a mixture of dextroamphetamine (go pills) and prochlorperazine. The latter is the drug that may be causing you trouble. it can cause changes in the blosd, including a tendency to have black and blue spots (technically known as throm- bocytopenic purpura), and it can also cause muscle © spasms, particularly of the head, neck, and shoulders with headaches. You should discuss this with your doctor and he may wish to discontinue this medicine in your case, The appetite sup- pression effect of the amphetamine only lasts afew weeks any way. You have probably gotten all the benefit you are going to get from it. © At any rate you should check with your doctor any time you suspect unusual side effects fram a medicine. Also ] hope your diet con- tains sufficient protein. Piilproblems | and overweight Hemoglobin, the iron- carrying pigment in the red blood cells, is made from pro- tein. Even if you have enough iron in your system, if you are deficient in protein you won't form enough hemoglobin to correct an iron deficiency anemia. For more information on this problem, send in 50 cents for The Health Letter. number 4-4, with a. long, stamped, self-addressed envelope for mailing. Send your letter to me in care of this newspaper. P.O. Box 1551, Radio City Station, New York, NY 10019. . DEAR DR. LAMB — My father and ‘my aunt have the same mother but different fathers. If I marry my aunt’s ~ daughter can we have normal children in view of our blood relationship? DEAR READER — Since your father and aunt are half brothers and sisters they have the same general gene relationship to each other as first cousins normally do (the children of full brothers or sisters}. Your aunt's daughter and you would have the same genetic relationship as the children of first cousins. That is close but nat nearly as clase as usual first cousins. The only proper solution to your question is to have genetic counseling, Ask your family docter to refer you toa nearby medical facility for this. They can help you by evaluating any diseases or ’ characteristics that tend to occur in the family and their significance, ; Intermarrying is nat all bad. That is how pure-breeds are developed. The inter- marrying merely re-enforces the characteristics. If the characteristic is a good one the results are good, but if itis an undesirable characteristic, the results are not so goad. ONES SPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN 1 _INFO/HEALTH 8 Some of us arrive in this world in pretty rough shape. It is a fact that the risk of dying is higher in the first few weeks of life than at any other time until the age of 60. or beyond. A baby is called a neonate during the first four weeks of life, and when this period of time has passed the child born with problems has usually had them corrected or at least controlled. If the baby is not going to survive, it is usually lost during the first four weeks, Ashort generation ago the neonatal death rate was about two babies in every 100 live births, reduced now by half that number where adequate facilities exist. Progress in un- derstanding and treating the roblems of the newborn as been rapid in recent years, and the earlier philosophy of keeping the aby warm and hoping for the best is a thing of the past. (In fairness, doctors did not have much more to offer in thase days.) Care of the sick newborn may start before the child arrives. Pregnancies are now assigned risk factors, and a high risk pregnancy patient may be moved to a centre with facilities for neonatal care before the baby is delivered. ; Babies born prematurely remain the major problem. The greatest progress in management has been made in the care of potentially normal infants who have arrived too early. Other babies arrive with diseases that require specialized medical management, while the newborn with congenital abnormalities may require prompt and exotic surgery to survive. Some people, including a few doctors, have been critical of the efforts of neonatal intensive care units. They. have felt that, while a life might be saved, the child may be left with mental or .. physical roblems that would make is life meaningless, or perhaps require Jong term care at the cost of society. There is, however, con- vincing evidence that future problems are markedly reduced when high quality - neonatal care is available. y Dr. Bob Young. - 7 ‘the only practical method of delivering ” this type of care is in larger centres. The avalanche factor on B.C. highways *:* Highway never an easy task in British Columbia's mountainous terrain, poses an additional problem during winter months, which is unique in alt of Canada, with the exception of Alberta. Here, in addition to winter conditions running the gamut from normal to extreme there is an added factor to be considered. The factor is — the - avalanche. Avalanches are un- forgiving tantrums of nature, yet the Department of Highways has developed means of dealing with them so that minimal hazard exists, providing users of the provincial highways are fully aware of these hazards. Highways Department crews have rescued many motorists who have been trapped by avalanches, as well as a great number who have been injured. . These crews are trained in avalanche’ rescue techniques and this training is continuing since its establishment as a full program following the death of seven persons al a cafe west of Terrace in 1974 and the rescue of two of five persons in another avalanche on the Salmo- Creston route in early. 1976, Ideally, the best way of avoiding avalanche danger is to stay off the highway altogether during heavy snowlall, Avalanches can thunder down a moun- tainside at up to 200 miles an hour, destroying everything in their path. They give no warning. British Columbia's Department of Highways has trained personnel to deal with such problems. Over 100 department ‘ employees are attending a variety of sessions right now which will prepare them for the avalanche season. They will study weather ot. Servation, avalanche control, safely and rescue techniques and the use of their equipment with which they perform their duties. ~ In 1975, over ’1,700 High- ways Department em- ployees attended St. John’s Ambulance safety oriented first aid courses. - Beautiful §.7 ac. parcel in peaceful & scenic rural setting on _ Nelson Rd. at New Remo. The 1000 sq. ft. 3 bdrm. home features patio doors off dining rm., w-w carpet, separate laundry area & attached carport with enclosed storage rm. Priced ta sell at $36,000 & qualifles for B.C. 2nd Mortgage of $5,000 or Grant of $1,000 with $2,000 down & B.C. 2nd of 55,000 vendor will carry balance at 12 percentover 20 years. Make it happen — call us faday. ‘ McCOLL Real Estate Services Ltd. 4609-A LAKELSE AVE. 1 635-6131 BRAND NEW HOME maintenance, _ Bavarian Inn Restaurant Each Thursday, we offer a variety of Prime Rib Cuts, Lobster and Rib Steaks DOW'T FORGET - AVAILABLE ONLY ON THURSDAYS — Come join us for a delicious Prime Rib Dinner By the end of this year about 650 employees will have completed training in the Workers’ Compensation Board survival first aid course, a course which deais rimarily with maintaining fe in persons who have either stopped’ breathing, ° have suffered chest crushing injuries, who are unconscious or who are bleeding. In addition, the Avalanche Task Force, at-its inception, began a study of areas where snow avalanches aifect our — highways. Magaitude, frequency and traffic volume were con- sidered and 25 areas of the ovince were thus iden-. tified, of which three were considered most serious. These three areas are: : Prince Rupert-Terrace, the Fraser’ Canyon — and Kootenay Pass. Bear Pass, north of Stewart, is also considered a high hazard area but has less traffic. The danger to crews however is present. Rogers Pass on the rans Canada Highwa shared in maintenance wit Parks Canada is another area of avalanche hazard. The Avalanche Control program has three major objectives — ta ensure the safety of the travelling public, to ensure safety of ighway maintenance rsonnel and to minimize interruption of traffic flow. The avalanche control gr am is headed by the enior Avalanche Co- ordinator whose job it is to prepare the intensive training programs and to Serve as liaison to govern- ment agencies at various levels. He is on the road all winter, assuring personal contact with Inghways districts plagued ry avalanche problems, Four District Avalanche Technicians assist the Co- ordinator. They are stationed in the highest hazard areas and constantly assess the snow cover to determine hazard con- ditions. Their analyses form the basis for decisions to close sections of the high- “way and to use explosives to -clear or trigger avalanches . when safe to do-so. : - Weather. observation is preventive and gives prior warning of coming hazards. Explosives are used to initiate an avalanche before it might naturally occur, to reduce snow buildup in the starting zone and to produce smaller avalanches of less dangerous proportions than major ones, ’ and charges, case bombs and artillery are used. The first are usually dropped from a helicopter or placed directly into the snow pack by personnel on skis, Case bombs are placed on smaller avalanche slopes and when exploded, shock waves release the snow. Artillery is used at several areas in B.C. Steel towers from which to traverse ‘avalanche slopes using small explosive launchers (C‘avalaunchers'’) are presently being constructed atseveral avalanche sites in Kootenay Pass. Signs and illuminated message signs encourage no stopping” in avalanche areas to minimize hazard to travellers. Basic rescue equipment is light so that quick response can be made in search for victims of an avalanche. This equipment is backed up by heavier equipment whic follows inilial rescuers to the scene of an avalanche. All department personnel working in avalanche areas are required to carry avalanche rescue beacons ‘— small radio transceivers ‘which emit a signal when switched on to lead rescuers to the scene of the burial quickly. The department is con- tinually assessing the feasibility of routes where such hazards are minimal, but meanwhile, nothing is being, left to, assure safe travel in winter. You do your part and the highways crews are doing or are ready to do theirs. Minister of Highways and Public Works, Alex V, Fraser, annouriced recently that moves are being made toward the further decen- tralization of the ad- ministrative procedures for issuing approvals for subdivision, zonings and. driveways, which enter onté ‘ controlled access highways: “Enstead of the cum- bersome requirement of having to apply to Victoria for all rulings in these cases, many will be processed by approving officers in the department's regional of- fices in Burnaby, Kamloops, Nelson and Prince George, This will provide faster service to development application,” said Fraser, "Hopefully, the new system will be in effect in late November’, he added, Advertising= keeps people working. CANADIAN ADVERTISING ADVISTRY BOARD CANADIAN STANDARDS, AT EXCELLENT ‘MEDICAL AND E G.R, HUDSON, ’ CANADIAN CE LIMITED, P.O. 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