The Jackson progress-argus. (Jackson, Ga.) 1915-current, September 30, 1976, Image 17

The Jackson progress-argus., September 30, 1976, Image 17

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Newspaper Page TextFamily Planning Clinics Prove Effective in State “Family planning clinics are the backbone of the family planning program in Georgia,” says T. M. Jim Parham, Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources. He was appointed chairman of the Governor’s Special Council on Family Planning by Governor Jim my Carter in 1971. “And Georgia’s family planning program is one of the best in the country. We probably get more per dollar for family planning than for any other program. Our family plan ning clinics provide a variety of services.” Recently Mary, Karen, Joyce and Susan all made their first visits to a family planning clinic. Mary is 17. She is nervous and brought along a friend who has been before. Karen has been using the pill for years and wants to try something new. She is 24, unmarried and has an eight-year-old child. She, doesn’t want another one. Joyce is unemployed, un married and has had two abortions in the last three years. “There is at least one family planning clinic in every county health depart ment,” says Dr. Jules Terry, head of family health for the state. “Each of the ten health districts draws up a plan that will best meet the needs of counties there. For instance, in a rural county, a clinic may be held only once a month while in an urban area daily clinics are held. "The state office sets up guidelines, monitors pro grams and gives technical assistance if it’s needed. The state buys contraceptive supplies and distributes them to local clinics.” Clinics may differ accord ing to community needs, but services provided are sim ilar. Every woman’s medical history is taken. She is given urine and blood tests and is checked for venereal di sease. Her blood pressure is taken. A doctor gives her a physical examination includ ing a breast and pelvic examination. Each woman gets a pap smear. Besides dispensing contra ceptives, clinics can offer sterility, fertility and genetic counseling, and, in many cases, nutritional counseling. “Many people hear family planning and equate it with population control. That’s wrong,” says Dr. William Mason, medical director for Planned Parenthood of At lanta, a non-profit organiza tion which offers family planning services. “It is a great vehicle for offering a variety of health services to patients. We can discover disorders through the exam inations. “In a clinic atmosphere, it can tend to become an assembly-like production. We don’t want that to happen here. We strive to get services to a large number of women but at the same time we make sure that these women know we are con cerned about them as people.” Planned Parenthood was founded 60 years ago in New York by Margaret Sanger, the founder of modern birth control. The Atlanta affiliate was incorporated in 1964. In Atlanta, there are three Planned Parenthood loca tions. Fifteen clinics are held each week with approxi mately 18 patients per clinic. Patients coming to a clinic may know' little about family planning and may be nervous. At Planned Parent hood, a nurse holds an NOW OPEN Lonnie Lloyd Upholstery Shop 30 NORTH OAK STREET Call Day or Night Business Office: 775-3502 Residence: 775-3522 educational meeting for all first time patients. She explains all available me thods of birth control using actual devices and a model of a woman’s reproductive system. She also describes the doctor’s examination. “I’m here to help ease the tension,” says Ms. Virginia Thomas, a social worker in Douglas County. She has two types of birth control pills on her desk as well as an IUD, a diaphragm, foam and con doms. “Many of the women who come are a little apprehensive and nervous about the whole experience. I answer any question they have and try to put them more at ease.” Last year over 136,000 women were served in Georgia’s family planning clinics. Ten years ago, that figure was less than 25,000. ‘ ‘Over the years we’ve seen changes other than an increase in the number of patients at family planning clinics," says Russ Richard son the first director of The Governor’s Special Council on Family Planning and now director of HEW’s Emory Regional Training Center for Family Planning. “In the 60’s the typical patients already had two or three children or more. Mothers were about 25 years old. Now we’re seeing more women in their late teens and early 20’s who have never been pregnant.” Fifty percent of Planned Parenthood patients in Atlanta are 21 and under. Mary Garrett is a public health nurse and has worked in family planning clinics in Cobb and Douglas counties for several years. “We are seeing younger and younger people all the time. But the most surprising change is that more and more women want methods of contracep tion other than the pill. Sarah Brennan, assistant director of Planned Parent hood of Atlanta, sees the same trend. “The pill is still our most prescribed method, but many women are responding to unbalanced publicity about the pill and IUDs and they want to try another method. They want to be fitted for a diaphragm, the old standby.” "S’erilization requests have increased, particularyly among men, according to Russ Richardson. "Eight or ten years ago, vasectomies were paractic ally unheard of. Now increasing numbers of men are getting them, taking responsibility for their ferti lity instead of always leaving i 1 up to the woman. Women are asking for sterilization too. More women are getting their tubes tied as surgical procedures become simplier, particularly women over 30 who have their desired number of children. They don’t want to rely on various birth control methods for years and years.” “Georgia has had practic ally no opposition to family planning over the years,” says Commissioner Parham. “We’ve been able to do a lot of far-sighted things. We could do more with more money; just as any program could. But we are very proud of our accomplishments so far.” In northern European myth ology, cats are believed able to influence the weather. THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARCUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA Chlordane Recommended For Fire Ants As one entomologist re cently put it, “20 years is a long time to be in an ant fight”. But that’s approxi mately how long the South has been trying to control the spread of the fire ant. Current estimates indicate an infestation of 133 million acres in a 9-state area, reaching from Florida to Texas. Fire ant mounds are an easily recognizable sight in agricultural areas, but the fire ant is an urban, as well as a rural problem, invading lawns, golf courses, parks, playgrounds, school yards, cemeteries and even homes. The threat this insect poses may be as minor as unsightly mounds on your lawns, or as major as a severe allergic reaction to its sting, resulting in illness, or even in death. Controlling the fire ant is a problem, simply because there are not very many chemicals which are effec tive. INTERSTATE FORD Presents FORD’S BETTER IDEAS F0R1977... A completely new Thunderbird $5434*, as shown. Anew car: LTD 11. Quality like an LTD. Sporty like a Mustang 11. BRING THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO THE BIG FORD SHOW FRIDAY OCTOBER IST. & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 ND ONLY AT THE BIG INTERSTATE FORD-MERCURY FREE - 150 TICKETS TO CIRCUS CHILDREN'S TO THE DAZZLING, THRILLING CIRCUS UNDER THE big top McDonough, oct. 14th FREE - 1977 FORD FOR 30 DAYS ENTER THE DRAWING AT INTERSTATE FORD ONLY FREE - CUSTOMIZED TRUCK & VAN DISPLAY FREE - COKES & POPCORN FOR ALL /INTERSTfIT?\ \FORD/ Mirex has, over the years, provided some good control. However, the nation’s only Mirex plant, in Prairie, MS, was recently shut down by the manufacturer, Allied Chemical, and the plant was subsequently bought by the state of Mississippi. One additional recourse for homeowners is to make individual treatments with Chlordane insecticide. Chlor dane is one of the only commercially available in secticides for consistently effective control of fire ants. According to a recent EPA ruling, chlordane has been allowed for use for fire ant control “in view of the public health problem which may result from the fire ant sting and bite.” Currently available as a liquid, a dust and in granules, chlordane fire ant killer should be applied at label rales for broadcast applica tion and-or for individual mound treatments. After 3 weeks following any of these treatments, examine the treated area. Any surviving colonies should be retreated. When the volcano Krakatoa exploded in the Pacific in 1883 the sound was heard for 3,000 miles! BETTER IDEA NO. 1 BETTER IDEA NO. 2 /SSv INTERSTATE FORD - MERCURY xgx I 9-8 i i-75 at McDonough exit ( 957 ...) VDAILY J CONVENIENT TO YOU V J GEORGIA’S NUMBER 1 VOLUME FORD TRUCK DEALER p~|l FFA. riEUJS | By Diane Duke, Reporter The Jackson FFA Chapter was recently named the Superior Chapter in District Four. This honor places Jackson in the top four chapters in the state. In the Roadside Beautification con test, Jackson won second place honors, with first going to the Pelham Chapter. The Jackson High Chapter of Future Farmers of America held two meetings during the months of Septenrr ber. At the September 15th meeting, reports were given on summer activities and plans were made for the new year. Glenn Williams reported NOTICE Anyone interested in attending Weight Watchers Class in Jackson area please call 775-2237 or 775-7972 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1976 on the FFA Camp held at the State FFA-FHA Camp near Covington, which was attend ed by 13 members of the local chapter this year, with an even larger attendance ex pected at next year’s meeting. Diane Duke reported on the leadership conference which she attended at the State FFA-FHA Camp. Glenn W'illiams also reported on a Soil Conservation Clinic which he attended at Abra ham Baldwin Agricultural College. Wesley Baker reported on the State FFA Convention, a never-to-be-forgotten experi ence for those members attending it. William Yancy, a senior, LTD Landa- 4-3ocr P-ilarei Hardtop The full-size car that kept its size... Ford LTD. now with overdrive standard. the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Yancey, was elected State vice-president from District Four, the first state officer to be elected from Jackson. At the September 21st meeting, plans were made for Homecoming and the Butts County Fair. Plans are also being made to send delegates to the national FFA convention ir, Kansas ruth at random By Ruth Bryant RAMBLING AND RATTLING In a U-Haul-It truck Rambling down the road John and I are rattling on Without a heavy load! His eye is on the steering wheel And on the center line. No one can guess how good we feel Obeying every sign! BETTER IDEA NO. 3 BETTER IDEA NO. 4 City early in November. Several members of the Jackson Chapter will attend the State rally in Macon in October. At that time, three local members, William Yancy, Toney Duke and Mickey Smith, will receive the Georgia Planter Degree. "Kindness begets kindness." Sophocles r * /InterstatTN \FORD/