An Unlikely Hero in the Fight for Personal Liberty

The American hunger for liberty has never been fully satisfied. It led to a revolution and political independence in 1776, but it had continued to evolve. After freeing themselves from the British crown, Americans wanted independence from the wealthy landowners and from the government. They wanted liberty for women and minorities. They chafed at restraints, and pushed back at every law that would restrict their rights of property, speech, or lifestyle.

Henry David Thoreau is an unusual hero among the millions of freedom seekers in American history. He sought freedom not from government or capital, but from human nature.

He took his search for personal freedom to the wilderness in 1845, on July 4th — the significance wasn’t lost on him. That day, he moved away from home to live in the woods around Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts. For the next two years, Thoreau tried to liberate himself from a life of distractions, comforts, and routine. As he put it:  “I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

He declared an independence from society to pursue a life of simplicity and honesty. “Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.” He gardened. He wrote. He visited friends (he was living only 1.5 miles outside Concord). But he continued to reside in the tiny house for over two years. The account he wrote of his time there has changed many an American’s life.

In 1849, the Post reprinted a New York review of Thoreau’s lectures about his experiences.

A Young Philosopher Henry D. Thoreau, of Concord, Mass., has recently been lecturing on “Life in the Woods,” in Portland and elsewhere. There is not a young man in the land — and very few old ones — who would not profit by an attentive hearing of that lecture. Mr. Thoreau is a young student, who has imbibed (or rather refused to stifle) the idea that man’s soul is better worth living for than his body. Accordingly, he had built himself a house ten by fifteen feet in a piece of unfrequented woods by the side of a pleasant little lakelet, where he devotes his days to study and reflection, cultivating a small plot of ground, living frugally on vegetables, and working for the neighboring farmers whenever he is in need of money or additional exercise. It thus costs him some six to eight week’s rugged labor per year to earn his food and clothes, and perhaps an hour or two per day extra to prepare his food and fuel, keep his house in order, &c. He has lived in this way four years, and his total expenses for last year were $41.25, and his surplus earning at the close were $31.21, which he considers a better result than almost any of the farmers of Concord could show, though they have worked all the time. By this course, Mr. Thoreau lives free from pecuniary obligation or dependence on others, except that he borrows some books, which is an equal pleasure to lender and borrower. The man on whose land his is a squater is no wise injured or inconvenienced thereby. If all our young men would but hear this lecture, we think some among them would feel strongly impelled either to come to New York or go to California.

It wasn’t easy being Henry David Thoreau. He was a loner, a lifelong bachelor, an eccentric, and, at times, a contrarian who opposed the Mexican-American war and, with greater fervor, slavery. He died young, at age 44, from tuberculosis. His life was rough and irregular, but a rough passage is inevitable when you have to clear your own roads.

Thoreau would been quickly forgotten if he had not been championed by Ralph Waldo Emerson and his students. Walden was printed in small editions over the years. Scholars recognized it as a work of great talent, but not for another 40 years after Thoreau’s death. Its renown among American letters is only partly due to the endorsement of English professors. His lasting fame rests on his ability to address that American hunger for independence, as in “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

My Life.*

by H.D. Thoreau

My life is like a stroll upon the beach,
As near the ocean’s edge as I can go;
My tardy steps its waves sometimes o’erreach,
Sometimes I stay to let them overflow.
My sole employment is, and scrupulous care,
To place my gains beyond the reach of tides;
Each smoother pebble, and each shell more rare,
Which Ocean kindly to my hand confides.
I have but few companions on the shore —
They scorn the strand who sail upon the sea;
Yet oft I think the ocean they’ve sailed o’er
Is deeper known upon the strand to me.
The middle sea contains no crimson dulse**,
Its deeper waves cast up no pearls to view;
Along the shore my hand is on its pulse,

And I converse with many a shipwrecked crew.

* This poem, taken from Thoreau’s A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, appears with the title “The Fisher’s Boy” in modern collections.

** “dulse”: a red seaweed that lives attached to rocks in deep water.

Stroke Advances (Part 2)

In the final installment of this two-part series, experts discuss innovative approaches that help stroke survivors restore their communication skills and move independently to accompany the May 2010 Post Investigates feature: “Stroke Advances,” by Anne Underwood.

“A major stroke can change everything—the ability to speak, to move, to work,” says Dr. Walter Kernan, professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, in the Post article. “It may seem to rob a person of his life without actually taking it.”

Fortunately, advances in the field of rehabilitative medicine are helping stroke victims regain their ability to walk and talk with family, friends, and co-workers.

Specialized Speech Therapy

Doug Gillis, 44, owner a softball academy in Michigan, had a stroke in 2006 that left him with aphasia, a language disorder that affects about one million Americans.

People with aphasia cannot always speak the words that they want to say. Some with the disorder also have trouble understanding others, or find it difficult to read or write. It does not affect intelligence. Stroke is the leading cause of aphasia. But brain tumors, infections, and head injuries, among other conditions, may be to blame.

Gillis said his first word one week after the stroke, and his first sentence eight weeks later. He then enrolled in The University of Michigan Aphasia Program (UMAP) <http://www.aphasiahelp.com/>, and made significant progress.

“We take a unique approach to aphasia therapy,” explains Annie Kennedy, M.A., CCC-SLP, Associate Clinical Services Manager, UMAP, “and provide an individualized therapy program with a limited number of clients to ensure a high ratio of staff-to-clients for the most direct and effective one-on-one treatment.

“Our key distinguishing factors include: a six-week intensive therapy program, clinically trained professional speech language pathologists, and an approach that incorporates caregiver education and support. The UMAP is the oldest program of its kind for the treatment of aphasia in North America.”

Today, Gillis is back at work and often speaks before large groups of students, athletes, and coaches.

“It was overwhelming to learn language all over again and frustrating when I couldn’t find the words I wanted to say,” Gillis said.  “But, with time and patience, and a good team of experts helping me at UMAP, I regained a high percentage of my language abilities.”

Physical Therapy Breakthrough

A wearable device system from Bioness http://www.bioness.com/Home.php called the NESS delivers mild electrical impulses to the arm or leg and helps stroke survivors move again—offering hope even to those who suffered strokes years ago.

The FDA-approved NESS L300 consists of a small transmitter worn in the shoe that sends electronic signals to a device strapped below the knee. When the person attempts to walk, mild impulses stimulate the peroneal nerve in the leg, prompting under-active muscles to lift the foot off the ground. The NESS H200 works in a similar way to improve hand function and mobility.

Bill Hefferon standing next to a golf cart.
Bill Hefferon is back on the golf course, thanks to the NESS L300 from Bioness.

Bill Hefferon, 73, of Naples, Florida, was unable to walk on his own from his bed to the bathroom after suffering a stroke 10 years ago. But within months of starting therapy with the NESS L300 in 2008, Bill no longer needed a cane and was back on the golf course.

“Using the NESS L300 has increased my stability and stamina” says Hefferon. “Now, I can golf  and go dancing with my wife again, something we enjoy doing together.”

At age 7, Joe Breiner of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, had a stroke that immobilized his left arm and leg. Today, the NESS H200 enables the 40-year-old husband and father of two to open and close his hand.

“The Bioness H200 has provided me with hope,” says Breiner. “Since I started using the device, I can perform many daily functions that before were a real struggle for me. The H200 is not a magic cure—it takes hard work and dedication for users like myself to see results. But through hard work and the will to recover, great results are attainable.”

“The Bioness devices may help those who suffer from leg and hand mobility issues to gain back movement and independence,” explains Michael W. O’Dell, M.D., Chief of Clinical Services, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York‑Presbyterian Hospital‑Weill Cornell Medical Center and Medical Director of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Medicine Center. “These devices are appropriate for individuals experiencing neurological conditions including stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and some types of neurological cancers.

“Persons who have retained at least some degree of voluntary movement in their muscles may have a better chance of success with Bioness devices.”

 

Thyroid Disease: A Post Web Exclusive

What You Need to Know About Your Body’s “Thermostat”

Millions of Americans are living with an overactive or underactive thyroid, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). Unfortunately, many go undiagnosed until something goes terrible awry, at times wreaking havoc on one’s quality of life. In this Web exclusive interview, we offer information about diagnosing and treating thyroid disease from Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber, immediate past president of the AACE, chief of endocrinology at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School to accompany the Jul/Aug 2010 Post Investigates feature: “Thyroid: A Secret Culprit,” by Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Dr. Jeffrey GarberCourtesy AACE

Post: Who should be tested? Should it be part of a routine annual physical?
Dr. Garber: Thyroid testing was not part of President Bush Sr.’s annual physical. If you remember, his hyperthyroidism was diagnosed after he had problems breathing while jogging. Today, the American Thyroid Association recommends screening every five years, starting at age 35. Universal screening is not felt to be cost effective, but most experts would recommend testing women over 60, those with symptoms, and then targeted subgroups such as smokers or those with a personal or family history that includes autoimmune conditions.

Having symptoms of thyroid disease does not mean one has it. Making a diagnosis solely based on symptoms can be inordinately difficult. However, the diagnosis becomes straightforward by testing for it. People should target themselves based on symptoms. If you are aware of thyroid conditions and believe you are experiencing enough symptoms, it is easy for a doctor to justify testing.

In addition, doctors should target patients on the basis of other risk factors. For example, I would check someone who comes to my office saying “I feel perfectly well” if I felt a lump in their thyroid or there was a compelling history. Thyroid disease is very easy to overlook.

Post: Hypothyroidism seems to be frequently in the headlines. Any reason why?
Dr. Garber: I think we live in an era in which people are seeking holistic approaches—sometimes in a good sense, and sometimes in a way that they can get exploited, in my view. Thyroid disease lends itself to an approach by some practitioners that is generally symptom-based. The idea that a constellation of symptoms dictates a diagnosis, despite the lack of conventional proof, is where the tension comes in.

“What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You” is a great headline. What people don’t read about is the downside of taking thyroid hormone products. It is not a free ride. My major concern is the risk of over-treatment. The second concern is that by treating symptoms without a certain diagnosis, a doctor will overlook another important fact or condition. Hypothyroidism can masquerade as depression, but depression can masquerade as hypothyroidism, for example.

Then there is the cost of medicine and the cost of testing. I would never argue with someone who says they feel a certain way, but the data doesn’t support that treating marginal disease necessarily leads to benefit. If a person has borderline thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and no symptoms or compelling medical reason, such as planning a pregnancy, treatment may not be called for. If people are borderline and symptomatic, of course, try to treat it. But give it a limited time. Don’t just commit people to medicine and put them at risk for being over-medicated or being subject to costs and missing other possible reasons for what they are feeling. Fatigue is the 21st century complaint. We’ve got a lot of reasons to be tired besides our thyroid.

Thyroid drug analogs, or copies of thyroid hormone, are also being mentioned in the press. As recently as March 11, 2010, the New England Journal of Medicine featured a follow-up article on the subject. The concept is to design a thyroid hormone analog that has the benefits of, say, inducing weight loss or lowering cholesterol, but not the drawback of stimulating the heart.

Post: How far away is this concept from actual reality?
Dr. Garber: It was pretty far away until March 11. These researchers demonstrated that one particular analog did not affect the heart, and did lower cholesterol.

Another drug analog was studied in heart disease patients. Many lost weight, but 60 percent to 70 percent of the patients dropped out of the study because they felt lousy. Since the study was not designed to analyze weight loss, researchers couldn’t do a good job of finding out whether people ate less because they had a lousy appetite, which is a terrible way to lose weight, as opposed to eating less because their appetite isn’t as high.

Post: Is there a better test for thyroid hormone levels on the horizon?
Dr. Garber: Not at present. The current discussion is whether we need to take a new look at what is considered the normal range for TSH levels, depending on the situation. Data show that some TSH levels we now consider elevated—in the elderly—may not represent hypothyroidism. And, on the other hand, new guidelines are definitely going to set a lower TSH of approximately 2.5 as the upper normal in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Post: What is the link between thyroid hormone and heart attack and heart disease?
Dr. Garber: If you are profoundly hypothyroid, you often become hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic. As a result, your vessels become constricted as well. Hyperthyroidism affects the heart mostly through rhythm disturbances characterized by fast heart rates including atrial fibrillation and sinus tachycardia.

Post: Are there other new developments you would like to mention?
Dr. Garber: A recent discovery suggests there is a subgroup of people with a certain genotype that are more likely to feel better on a T3-T4 combination therapy. We are not at the point that we are going to start doing genetic testing on people, but the study found that certain people with a certain genotype were more likely to feel better on combination therapy. From a hot, new, and conceptual point of view, the discovery may provide yet another role for genetic testing.

Resources:

Click here for more information from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and to find an endocrinologist near you.

Click here for an excerpt from “The Harvard Medical School Guide to Overcoming Thyroid Problems” by Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber, published by McGraw-Hill.

Roller Coasters: When Science Takes You for a Ride

The roller coasters of the 1940s would seem tame to the seasoned thrill-ride passenger of today. But to the authors who wrote the 1945 Post article “Ride ‘Em And Weep,” [PDF] they were marvels of modern science. Engineers had devised rides that would spin, shake, bounce, and drop cars filled with screaming passengers, only to deliver them safely back to earth. They could explain the ‘How,’ but who could explain the ‘Why’? Why did people pay for the privilege of being terrified? Perplexed, the authors consulted a psychiatrist:

The human animal is a perverse creature. Dr. Louis Berg, a psychiatrist who has studied this aspect of personality, points out that we seek not only security but also insecurity.

“From childhood on,” Doctor Berg says, “the human being likes to flirt with danger. Every child likes to be thrown into the air. It will scream in terror, and yet ask you to throw it up again. The child likes to skirt the edge of danger. It is a kind of secure insecurity. And an amusement park ride must always be dangerous and yet safe. This tendency goes so deep that I would call it a “prepotent reflex,” an instinct to seek mild suffering. More people are masochistic than sadistic, really.

“For the adult to go on a roller coaster is for him to experience a pattern of emotions which brings him back to the ‘secure insecurity’ of childhood, and this is one of the sources of the perverse pleasure attached to riding on a roller coaster.”

The greater the perceived risk, then, the greater the pleasure (if you enjoy that sort of thing).

This question of the danger of rides baffles most of the men in the industry. Some of them say that an accident actually booms business. Now and then, a drunk or a youthful bravo stands up in the car as the coaster takes the dip, and is flung out to his death. In some parks, there will be a long line of customers at the ticket office the next day. In other places, business will drop off for weeks afterward until the accident is forgotten.

Amusement parks knew how extremely safe their rides were, but they could never reveal this to customers. Rather, they engineered the ride to increase the perception of danger.

What seems to make the roller coaster the most zestfully dangerous of all rides is that it involves a speedy rising and falling motion, and also that the car is, so to speak, not under any control, but is proceeding by gravitational pull.

The nauseating experience of pleasant agony is the combination of drops and turns, of banks and dips, the contrasts between slow and fast, and the general illusion of danger which the designer creates.

“I been building these twisters about forty, forty-one years, I guess,” [Jim] McKee said. McKee, now the chief engineer in charge of torment, mayhem and hysteria at Palisades Amusement Park, in New Jersey, studied engineering at Carnegie Tech.

“The main idea of the thing,” he explained, his blue eyes twinkling genially, “is you got to scare the people mentally because actually there is nothing to be afraid of in the ride. The whole thing is in the mind. You take the roller coaster. The average twister don’t do no more than thirty, forty miles an hour. Our Bobsled ride, here at Palisades, she’s fast — she does about sixty an hour, just about the fastest coaster in the business. Our Skyrocket does about fifty. Well, sir, you know the average person will think nothing of doing seventy, eighty in a car.

“Or take, on the other hand, a pilot on a pursuit plane that does three hundred miles an hour. He will take a ride on the Skyrocket and she’ll scare the pants off him. It’s all in the illusion. It’s in the mind of the rider. A feller in a plane; he’s up in the sky all by himself, riding with the clouds, and it don’t seem so terrible fast. But we put him in a roller coaster, and we get the cars jangling and screeching, and those wooden posts go by like crazy, and of course the wind is slapping him in the face, and, by gosh, he thinks he is going like a bat out of hell. It’s all in the mind, mister,” concluded McKee.

Engineering has improved greatly since 1945, though. Today, there’s less need for illusion because passengers are moving faster, going farther, riding higher and falling quicker than ever before. The fastest roller coaster moves at more than 125 miles per hour; you don’t need to appeal to riders’ imagined fears when you move that fast. You can find roller coasters that rise 456 feet in the air, or travel over 8,000 feet. And the most challenging rides don’t simply descend at forty-five or sixty degrees, but at 90 degrees. Straight down.

I just understand the appeal. I think there’s something wrong with my “prepotent reflex.”

Read “Ride ‘Em And Weep,” [PDF].

Norman Rockwell’s Cousin Reginald

Norman Rockwell was raised in New York City, but loved painting the more simple life of the country. He created a city slicker, Cousin Reginald, who visited his country cousins and proceeded to show what a city boy he was. In the 19-teens, on Country Gentleman magazine covers (a sister publication to the Post), Reginald entertained true farm boys across the nation. We think he’ll entertain you, too.

Cousin Reginald Goes to the Country – August 25, 1917

Cousin Reginald Goes to the Country
Cousin Reginald Goes to the Country
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
August 25, 1917

The country cousins pick up Reginald for his first visit in August 1917. These were characters Rockwell developed for Country Gentleman magazine. Cousin Rusty Doolittle seems to be driving the horses harder than necessary. Reginald is having second thoughts about these guys. So is the dog. Oh, Reginald, this is only the beginning.


Cousin Reginald Goes Fishing – October 6, 1917

Cousin Reginald Goes Fishing
Cousin Reginald Goes Fishing
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
October 6, 1917

His citified attire is not the only thing that shows us Cousin Reginald is no fisherman. The only thing he caught was the dog, Spot. Much to his cousins’ amusement, of course. In 1917, Rockwell was 23 – not much more than a lad himself. But he certainly had the knack for depicting boys.

Cousin Reginald Goes Swimming – September 8, 1917

Cousin Reginald Goes Swimming
Cousin Reginald Goes Swimming
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
September 8, 1917

Okay, the country cousins can be jerks, but really, how can you not make sport of a guy who wears a swimsuit like this? And who is leery of even dipping his toe in the water? And Rockwell’s full name for the character was “Master Reginald Claude Fitzhugh.” We’re just saying.

Cousin Reginald Plays Tickly Bender – January 19, 1918

Cousin Reginald Plays Tickly Bender
Cousin Reginald Plays Tickly Bender
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
January 19, 1918

“Tickly Bender” was an early version of “chicken.” The leader, the no-good rat, would find the weakest spot in the ice and dare the others to skate over it. We think Cousin Reginald is showing some sense in this situation – he’s getting the heck out of there (as is the dog). A word of advice: Don’t listen to your country cousins, Reginald.

Cousin Reginald Plays Pirates – November 3, 1917

Cousin Reginald Plays Pirates by Norman Rockwell
Cousin Reginald Plays Pirates
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
November 3, 1917

The boys decide to play pirates on this November 1917 cover. Let’s guess now, who got trussed up and sent to walk the plank? We’re REALLY starting to dislike these cousins.

Cousin Reginald Catches the Thanksgiving Turkey – December 1, 1917

Cousin Reginald Catches the Turkey
Cousin Reginald Catches the Turkey
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
December 1, 1917

This 1917 cover is called “Cousin Reginald Catches Thanksgiving Turkey,” but it looks the other way around. No doubt the country boys told Reginald that turkeys are docile creatures that just sit and wait for you to cut their stupid heads off. He’s a slow learner, that boy. Do not, repeat, do NOT listen to your cousins.

Cousin Reginald is the Hero – April 6, 1918

Cousin Reginald is the hero
Cousin Reginald is the Hero
Norman Rockwell
The Country Gentleman
April 6, 1918

But one time, one time, Reginald is the hero. The kids are putting on a play, and the dastardly villain (one of the country cousins, staying in character) is making life unbearable for the damsel in distress. But Cousin Reginald comes through in the nick of time, brandishing sword and the deed to the house! We knew he had it in him.

Like Saturday Evening Post covers, Country Gentleman cover reprints (which look great framed) are available at www.curtispublishing.com.

Are You an Organ Donor?

The number of people requiring a life-saving transplant continues to rise faster than the number of available donors. Approximately 300 new transplant candidates are added to the waiting list each month. The number of patients now on the waiting list is available at Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Minorities overall have a particularly high need for organ transplants because some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas, and liver are found more frequently in racial and ethnic minority populations than in the general population. For example, African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics are three times more likely than Whites to suffer from end-stage renal (kidney) disease, often as the result of high blood pressure and other conditions that can damage the kidneys. Native Americans are four times more likely than Whites to suffer from diabetes. Some of these conditions that can result in organ failure are best treated through transplantation, and others can only be treated by this life-saving procedure.  In addition, similar blood type is essential in matching donors to recipients. Because certain blood types are more common in ethnic minority populations, increasing the number of minority donors can increase the frequency of minority transplants.

There are no costs to your family for your donation. Costs related to donation are paid by the recipient, usually through insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.

Electing to become an organ donor will NOT affect the quality of medical care you receive at the hospitals. The medical team trying to save your life is separate from the transplant team. Every effort is made to save your life before donation is considered.

What can be donated? Organs: heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines. Tissue: cornea, skin, heart valves, bone, blood vessels, connective tissue, bone marrow/stem cells, umbilical cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC).

To learn more about donating bone marrow or a cord blood unit, visit:
http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/DONOR/Donating/index.html and http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/CORD/Options/Donating/index.html

Even if you sign a donor card, it is essential that your family knows your wishes. Your family may be asked to sign a consent form in order for your donation to occur.

If you wish to learn how organ donation preferences are documented and honored where you live, contact your local organ procurement organization (OPO). The OPO can advise you of specific local procedures, such as joining donor registries that are available to residents in your area.
Each organ and tissue donor saves or improves the lives of as many as 50 people. Giving the “Gift of Life” may lighten the grief of the donor’s own family. Many donor families say that knowing other lives have been saved helps them cope with their tragic loss.

Get Started

Register with your state donor registry, if available.

Designate your decision on your driver’s license.

Sign a donor card and carry it with you.

Order a free donor card that will be mailed to you.

Talk to your family. To help your family understand and carry out your wishes, sit down with your loved ones and tell them about your decision to be an organ and tissue donor. They can serve as your advocate and may be asked to give consent for donation or provide information to the transplant team.

To learn more. visit www.organdonor.gov

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration

Saving Face: Exclusive Web Update

The Jul/Aug 2010 issue of the Post includes a practical guide for healthier skin. Here, we off readers an online exclusive update.

Protection is the key to saving your skin. Fortunately, consumers have a wide array of choices of sunscreens, sunglasses, sunless tanning products, and clothing that offers coverage from the No. 1 cause of all skin cancers and the primary cause of aging—the sun.

To learn more about current measures to preserve the skin and reduce the appearance of sun-damaged, the Post interviewed dermatologist Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., F.A.A.D., vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology. A consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine, Dr. Draelos is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology and has written eight dermatology textbooks, 32 book chapters, and more than 300 scientific articles. She has served as president of the North Carolina Dermatology Association and as a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Dermatology Surgery.

PP: Why do so many products use botanicals in their ingredients?

ZD: Botanicals are usually used as antioxidants, which are designed to prevent the damage that occurred from UV radiation striking the skin. But botanicals can be used for many purposes in anti-aging products—for their anti-aging properties, to color or scent the product, and many other purposes.

PP: What do you see as the major anti-aging breakthroughs in skin treatment today?

ZD: One of the big breakthroughs is understanding aquaporins, which are responsible for regulating the transport of water and other small solutes across plasma membranes, ultimately acting as pores within the walls of skin cells to keep skin moisturized and hydrated.

Old-fashioned ingredients, such as glycerin, actually affect the amount of water the skin holds. Many moisturizers now contain very high glycerin levels. Anti-aging moisturizers attempt to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by enhancing the skin’s water-holding capacity. Glycerin is a well-known emollient and lubricant that is great for dry skin. Glycerin—a basic ingredient for Corn Husker’s Lotion—has been rediscovered for its water-holding ability. When you increase the water-holding capacity in the skin, you can get rid of the fine lines of dehydration.

Many sophisticated fillers (see below) that doctors use to rid wrinkles contain a substance known as hyaluronic acid (HLA), which soaks up water. Holding water in the skin is a very powerful cosmetic tool to improve skin appearance. This water balance is like the spigot on the hose. When you turn the spigot down, not as much water comes out, so the skin is better hydrated. If you open it up and let a lot of water out, the skin becomes dehydrated. It may be that the aquaporin channels are defective and the reason why the skin dries out is because too much water is leaving the body. Understanding how aquaporins work would allow you to develop therapeutic moisturizers to increase the water-holding capacity of the skin and alleviate dry, itchy skin that is especially found in elderly people.

Rejuvenating Aging Skin

Innovations in anti-aging skin care are on the fast track to meet the growing demand of baby boomers (and their parents). Therapies are available that improve the skin’s surface texture, reduce irregular pigmentation, and help reverse the effects of sun damage.

Fillers: These reduce the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles by “plumping” furrows and hollows in the face, giving the skin a more youthful-looking appearance. Fillers (Juvaderm, Restylane, Gore-Tex) are very effective at contouring specific areas on the face, such as around the lips, including long, vertical “marionette” lines that start at the corners of the mouth and extend down the chin. Botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Dysport) injections also diminish lines and wrinkles associated with facial expression, including vertical lines between the eyebrows and on the bridge of the nose, forehead lines and furrows, and crow’s feet.

The Bashing of Bullwinkle

Norman Reilly Raine (June 23, 1894–July 19, 1971), best known today as the screenwriter for the 1938 epic film The Adventures of Robin Hood, also wrote the once-popular Tugboat Annie series. First appearing on July 7, 1931, more than 60 short stories were published over a span of 30 years in The Saturday Evening Post. The series inspired several films and one television adaptation.

What made it such an enduring series, even to readers today, is the character of Tugboat Annie. Her accents, forceful personality, and witty insults keep the laughs, especially when she faces off against Bullwinkle, her arch nemesis on the high seas. This short story, “The Bashing of Bullwinkle,” is the first time Bullwinkle makes an appearance in the series, and the confrontation is memorable.

Read “The Bashing of Bullwinkle”, by Norman Reilly Raine [PDF].

Curry Deviled Eggs

I rarely use mayonnaise these days, so when I reached for the jar in the fridge, I wasn’t shocked to discover it had expired. I was, however, in a picnic panic. I had just boiled a dozen eggs and needed to whip up a batch of the little devils for a small party. Fortunately, the Greek gods came to my rescue. Have you ever used yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise in dressings, pastas, or salads?

Curry Deviled Eggs

Curry Deviled Eggs
Curry Deviled Eggs

Makes 12 servings (2 halves per person)

When cool, peel shells from hard-boiled eggs. Carefully cut each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently scoop out yolks and place in bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mash together. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Using a pastry bag or spoon, fill each egg white with mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Think you have a better recipe for deviled eggs? Let’s see it.

The Old Golf Masters: Gene Sarazen Reinvents His Clubs and Self

When 10-year-old Eugenio Saraceni was diagnosed with emphysema, his doctor recommended he spend plenty of time in the open air. The boy decided his best chance for recovering his health, and earning his keep, was to caddy at the local golf course. In time, he picked up the game and, by age 20, he had won the U.S. Open and the PGA championships. Later, he became one of the few golfers to win the Open, PGA, British Open, and the Masters.

A large part of his success came from his willingness to reinvent his game and himself. For instance, he overcame country-club prejudice against immigrants by redesigning his name, changing it to the less-Italian-sounding Gene Sarazen. (For a while, he even tried passing himself off as a Scottish MacSarazen.)

Another innovation came in the late ’20s, with his invention of the sand wedge—a club found in any respectable golf bag today.

For years I had been afflicted with that dread malady of the links which, for lack of a better term, I call “trap phobia.” It’s a virulent plague that strikes at the hearts of men and turns them to stone… Nearly every championship is decided in and out of traps, with the result that you either master your niblick before a title event or you might as well start back home and save the caddie fees.

A “niblick,” for the great majority of us who don’t know, was a club with a slightly angled face resembling a modern nine iron.

Personally, I wasn’t able to save anything—neither fees nor strokes nor reputation. I lived through some pretty desperate years that way, and then, suddenly, the answer came at a time and place when I wasn’t thinking about golf at all.

The scene is Roosevelt Field, Long Island, the year 1928; I was idly watching the planes land and take off, without the faintest thought of golf… I had noticed that as the pilot started to take off he lowered the rudder to get the plane in flying position. And within a few moments I was murmuring absently to myself: “How about a rudder on the back of my niblick?”

The result was a special niblick with the rear edge one-quarter of an inch lower than the front edge of the blade… it is designed with a rudder like an airplane, and its effect was amazing. I don’t fear the traps now.

Sarazen also designed a four wood that enabled him to make one of the most famous shots in golf history. It was during the 1935 Masters tournament, and he was approaching the fifteenth hole three strokes behind the leader, Craig Wood, who had completed play. Sarazen still thought he had a chance to catch up over the next three holes. In fact, he completely passed Wood with his next shot.

I found myself with a downhill lie, one of the toughest of fairway shots, but I still had a hunch up my sleeve or, rather, in the bag, to cover the situation. That was my club especially designed to offset the effects of this awkward shot. Selecting this club, I stood slightly ahead of the ball and toed the club head in at address. Then, as I came down into the shot, I drew the face of the club slightly across the ball in order to get it high enough to carry the water.

The ball sailed over 230 yards, clearing the water hazard, onto the green, and into the cup.

It was called the greatest shot ever made in a pinch; also some other things not quite so complimentary, there doubtless being an element of luck in holing a 230-yard shot from the fairway… What was I thinking of? Somebody asked me that after the round, and the answer was simple enough. “I was thinking of getting 230 yards,” said I grimly. “And I got it exactly to the last inch. Lucky? Oh, yes; quite lucky. But it was a good shot, hit exactly the way I wanted to hit it.”

More impressive than his mastering of the game, though, was Sarazen’s mastering of himself.

Gene Sarazen on the Fairway
Straight as an arrow. Watching the ball fly down the fairway for a birdie.

At that time my temper was inflammable and quite beyond control. A bad shot was something to drive me into a tantrum, with the result that my reputation for club-throwing somewhat exceeded my prestige as a golfer. I recall, for instance, that I used a member’s putter during one round of the course in which I missed all putts from three to thirty feet.

The first thing I did was to head for the pro’s shop. The next was to put the putter in a vise and saw it into sections. This sounds crazy as I tell it now, but it actually happened. The third thing was to leave the sawed-off sections in the member’s locker. I later paid him for the club, but I hardly think he appreciated the spirit of the thing. It didn’t seem to occur to me at the time that he might have cherished the club.

Anyhow, I was so boisterous around a golf course that everybody got a laugh when I was paired with Bobby Jones for the first two rounds of the national open championship at the Columbia Country Club, Washington, D. C., in 1921. They thought we would wind up in each other’s beards, Bobby being quite a man for temperamental outbursts in those days. The result was that we made a private bet, whereby each was to forfeit five dollars to the other every time he threw a club, and the funny thing was that not a dollar changed hands for the two days. I don’t know what this did for Jones, but it convinced me of one thing: If it was going to cost me money, I wasn’t the man to lose my temper.

That was the beginning. The finish of Sarazen-the-fanatic came through my wife, Mary, and Walter Hagen, an arch-opponent. My wife shamed me into a degree of decent behavior on a golf course by telling me how the gallery murmured inaudibly and then walked away in tacit disapproval after one of my periodic outbursts. “Every time you get riled and show it,” she said quietly, “you lose some friends. I know you’re only mad at yourself. They don’t. They think you’re a bad sport.”

I’m not insensible to the importance of the men and women who pay for the show and thus make my living possible. It occurred to me, in fact, that I had as much privilege to step out of my part and rant at destiny as would an actor onstage in suddenly abandoning his character and haranguing the audience.

Hagen did the rest—by precept. I have played many a round with him and don’t mind conceding several points, including the fact that there is no great devotion between us. But in one respect I have to move well back and let him stand alone. As a golfer who can take the good with the bad, he’s a positive standout. I’ve seen him get the worst breaks a man ever had and never for a moment betray the fact that he had noticed anything out of the ordinary. To one of Hagen’s sublime self-faith, the alibi is simply not to be thought of.

This may be regarded as a surprising tribute, coming as it does from a man who openly stated before the 1933 championship at Chicago that Hagen belonged in an armchair and who, in turn, had to accept the ignominy of a rather grim jest by Hagen before the end of the tournament.

He waited, in fact, for the final round and the certainty that I was to get nowhere on those abominations known as the creeping-bent greens. Then he called a clubhouse attendant, gave him five dollars and an armchair and told him to take the latter out to me on the fifteenth tee.

Read “I Play Hunches,” by Gene Sarazen, August 31, 1935 [PDF].

The Old Masters: Thoughts on Golf and Life from Bobby Jones

In 1958, Post authors Harry Paxton and Fred Russell interviewed golf champion Bobby Jones—28 years after he had scored the first “grand slam,” winning the open and amateur championships in America and England. During the interview (“A Visit with Bobby Jones,” April 5, 1958 [PDF]), he spoke only of golf, but much of what he said applies to the game of life.

Concentration and Discipline

“These [golfers] who play the circuit now,” he said, “they all have to take a week or two off every now and then. They all get jaded with it, as you do with anything. That’s really the reason I quit playing in competition. I’d made up my mind even before I got around to 1930 that if I ever found a convenient stopping place, I was going to do it.

“In tournament golf, and particularly in an Open championship, you take an awful lot of mental punishment. Golf is played at such a slow pace that you don’t have an opportunity to work off steam in physical activity. Playing around that golf course in four hours, you get so weighted down by the strain and the responsibility and the difficulty of concentrating that you just wish to goodness you could hit a careless shot—just hit the ball without thinking. And if you ever yield to that temptation you’ll always pay for it.

Mental Preparation

“I think that a lot of our younger pros and amateurs are over-impressed with amount of time and study they have to give to the making of a golf shot. They look to me like they try to take into consideration more damn things than they have to. I think they’re setting a very bad example for youngsters.

“I used to walk around a little bit on the green after I got the ball on there, but all I was trying to do was to tranquilize my breathing. Walking a good distance up to the green and making your way through a crowd of people requires a little exertion, and so I’d stall around a little bit just to get my breathing tranquilized, and get my mind back on the shot. But no more than that. Like old Alex Smith used to say, ‘Miss ’em quick.’ If I ever took a second waggle, I might as well put the club back in the bag. I just couldn’t hit the ball.”

Focusing on the Job at Hand

“Fundamentally, there’s just one order of movement that is the most efficient method of hitting a golf ball. You hear an awful lot of talk about the modem swing differing from the swing of twenty years ago. It doesn’t at all, except in the minutest sort of detail.

“There’s just one basic way a man can hit a golf ball with full power and full efficiency, and it never will be any different as long as he’s just got two arms and two legs. You’ve got to wind up the trunk and lift the arms and cock the wrists. Then you’ve got to use those sources of power in a certain order—unwinding the hips, leading, unwinding the trunk, leading the downswing, pulling with the arms. The final uncocking of the wrists is the culmination of the blow. But you can’t be thinking about all those things and about where you want the ball to go. And where you want it to go is the most important.”

Sportsmanship

“One of the first questions everybody asks us in connection with our trip to see Bob Jones is, ‘How is his health?’ [No one who knows him ever calls him Bobby.]

“The answer is, ‘About the same.’ His trouble was caused by an injured vertebra at the top of the spine, the effect of which was a deterioration of nerve supply to his limbs. This resulted in an increasing atrophy, and pain in his arms and legs. Two operations some years back failed to correct the trouble.”

In time, this condition led to his paralysis and, eventually, his death. Shortly before his death, someone asked him about the state of his health. Jones’ response is one of those rare expressions of true courage, and is worth remembering in the dark moments we will all face.

“I will tell you privately it’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse all the time, but don’t fret. Remember, we ‘play the ball where it lies,’ and now let’s not talk about this, ever again.”

Read “A Visit with Bobby Jones,” April 5, 1958 [PDF].

Classic Covers: The Six Types of Fathers

If you think Dad has been neglected, you haven’t looked at our great collection of Saturday Evening Post covers.

Soldier and Daughter by K.R. Wireman – December 14, 1918

Soldier and Daughter
K.R. Wireman
December 14, 1918

#1 – The Grateful Dad:Dad was often a prominent feature, like this WWI soldier coming home to his daughter. It’s a rarely-seen remembrance of this era from a great artist little known today: K.R. Wireman.


Dad at Bat by Alan Foster – June 1, 1929

Dad at Bat
Alan Foster
June 1, 1929

#2 – The Sportsman: This is one of those covers that resembles the style of Norman Rockwell, but it was by artist Alan Foster. Dad must have just come from the office, according to his clothing, but he’s game for the game. Good batter stance, Pop.


Tea for Grandpa by C. Gager Phillips – February 18, 1933

Tea for Grandpa
C. Gager Phillips
February 18, 1933

#3 – The Good Sport: If tea is served in a doll-sized teacup, then by golly, dad (or granddad) will do his best to drink it. If it’s the 1930s, you can bet the little girl will have a Shirley Temple-type hairstyle. This beautiful cover is from February 1933 and was by little-known artist C. Gager Phillips.


Report Card by Frances Tipton Hunter – March 25, 1939

Report Card
Frances Tipton Hunter
March 25, 1939

#4 – The Intimidator: If your report card was not up to snuff, you would hear about it. It’s 1939 and somebody may be about to lose his radio privileges. Even the dog is concerned. We just hope the news in the evening paper isn’t that bad. Artist Frances Tipton Hunter did a number of Post covers featuring adorable children. For more of these, go to: http://www.curtispublishing.com/artists/Hunter.shtml


Bike Riding Lesson by George Hughes – June 12, 1954

Bike Riding Lessons
George Hughes
June 12, 1954

#5 – The Teacher: Remember all the things Dad taught you. This 1954 cover shows a kid having a great time on his bike. But Pops seems a little panicky about the stopping part. Oh, just wait, Dad. In a few years you’ll be teaching him to drive a car.


Happy Father’s Day by Howard Scott – June 19, 1943

Happy Fathers Day
Howard Scott
June 19, 1943

#6 – The Deserving Dad: And which dad isn’t deserving of special recognition? We think getting that cake into and out of the lunchbox in perfect condition displayed a bit of artistic license, but the sentiment is spot on. If you can’t read “Pop’s” button even after clicking for a close-up, it is his ID badge to show he works at Plant 46.


Questions about a Saturday Evening Post cover? We’d love to hear from you. E-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

Father’s Day Times Seventeen

In the era of Khrushchev and Eisenhower, with Elvis and the Everly Brothers on the radio, large families were not unusual. But seventeen kids was unusual enough to warrant a story in the Post“How to Bring Up a Multitude” [PDF].

At the time of the article — 1958 — the Joachim (pronounced Joe-ACK-im) children included twelve girls and five boys ranging in age from 18 months to a 24-year-old.

The logistics of raising a family this large were impressive. The annual milk budget was $1,300 a year for milk (over $7,000 in 2010 dollars.) Getting roughly 50 meals a day out of one not-too-modern kitchen was strategically daunting. “But we have all the gadgets we need,” Rose (Mom) told the Post, pointing to her brood. Dad added, “And when they’re through, they don’t clutter up the kitchen. They go outside to play.”

That Dad was Jack Joachim, Sr., who made ends meet by holding down two jobs, one as a supervisor at the local telephone company, the other at a retail hardware business, where he was a partner. He mastered plumbing, electrical work and photography.

“When he took up something, he went all the way,” Marylyn reports. “He learned developing with the photography and built a warehouse as a darkroom studio.” Since there was a military base nearby, Jack Sr. was often developing up to 500 rolls of film a day, making his hobby a paying one.

Jack Joachim is still around at age 93. “I have to go to the gym for an hour each day just to keep up with him,” his daughter, Marylyn jokes. He joined some of the kids on a trip to Italy when he was 89. He still drives and family members take him to dinner and a movie every Friday. Jack Sr. has a home health nurse, “but sometimes the nurse has a hard time catching him,” according to his daughter (well, one of the daughters).

The Joachim Family - all 19 members - sit for a meal.
The Joachims at breakfast. The menu: cereal (cold in summer, hot in winter), milk, juice, toast, jam.

He still enjoys photography and is “on his fifth digital camera.” The kids call him the Gadget Man. And yes, the 93-year-old patriarch can use a computer. He can get frustrated with it (like the rest of us) but the kids help him with e-mails.

At the time of the article, the parents had “coped with about every problem that mothers and fathers can face, including the tragic death of a son who was struck by an auto.” Since the article, there were two more births, so the child count was a total of 20.

The extended dinner table pictured in the article had to be custom-made, Bill notes. A carpenter came to the house and met the Joachim’s specifications of “three feet wide and ten feet long.” Sometimes, a young classmate of a Joachim child would slip in for a meal. “Nobody noticed an extra body or two,” Bill says.

A new baby in the house was nothing out of the ordinary, according to the article. One time, Mrs. Joachim went to the hospital for a day to treat a minor ailment. Upon her return, a bored child yawned, “Well, what did we have this time, mamma?”

Son Bill, now 60 years old (“I was number 12”), reports a Joachim family appearance on the TV show I’ve Got a Secret. The host was Harry Morgan that week, since Garry Moore was on vacation (“We think he saw us coming,” quips Bill). But the trip to New York, where they were “treated like royalty,” was a memorable treat to the wide-eyed Biloxi children.

Some of the complications of a large family still follow the siblings. “Someone will talk to me, and obviously they know me, but I don’t know them,” Bill says. When he asks them to jog his memory, “they’ll say, ‘I went to school with your sister.’” (Word of advice when talking to a Joachim: be specific.)

Today, the “kids” range in age from 49 to 75. And some have as many as five children. Three have retired from the same phone company that employed their father for 46 years (“When you find a good horse, keep riding it,” says Bill). One owns a successful cookie and chip distributorship, and one is an executive with a major insurance company. Most remain in the Biloxi area. “We’re all still speaking to each other,” Marylyn jokes. They get along great and happily share in helping dad out.

Jack’s many interests also include motorcycles. “He always went all out,” said daughter Marylyn, “Of course it had to be a Harley.”Photo courtesy of the Joachim family

Do they have family reunions? we asked. “More like mild riots,” Bill says. They get a church or other public gathering place, since this much of a crowd is too much for most homes. This usually happens Christmas Day, which happens to be Dad’s birthday. Although sadly, Rose Joachim passed away in her 80s, she is fondly remembered on the family website. Through the website, the children dote on Jack Sr. A photo of “Paw Paw” in a classic car bears the caption, “A true classic…the car’s nice too.” We agree and we’re happy to be able to say to Jack Joachim, along with the rest of you Superdads out there: Happy Father’s Day!

View the original 1958 article, “How to Bring Up a Multitude” [PDF].

An Author Tries the Royal Scam for Fun

In 1958, William Peter Blatty, a publicist and aspiring author (“The Exorcist”), wanted to see how hard it would be to fake nobility among Americans. It proved to be too easy. But then, he had chosen the one city that is most ready to reward pretense: Hollywood.

I’ve always been curious about how Americans really feel about royalty, and, like Alice in Wonderland, I got “curiouser and curiouser” when King Saud of Saudi Arabia came to the United States recently and got a classic concrete-and-steel cold shoulder from New York’s sky line and New York’s mayor. Was New York speaking for America?

I was in a convertible, coasting along Hollywood Boulevard. Beside me in the driver’s seat was Frank Hanrahan, an old Georgetown chum and an ex-FBI agent. Frank looks stern. Frank looks distinguished. Frank has never been known to play a practical joke since coming to Los Angeles. This is important, as you’ll soon see.

Bright-eyed and unaware, we were on our way to an afternoon gathering of Frank’s friends in the Hollywood hills, when “Great screaming Teddy bears!” (or something like that) exclaimed Frank. “With those sunglasses on, you look just like an Arab sheik!” This was not surprising, as both my parents are Lebanese, but right then I knew my moment had come.

“Do I look like an Arab prince, maybe?” I prodded Frank.

“Whaddya mean? Whaddya mean?”

“Do you think I could pass for an Arab prince with your friends?”

Frank gently braked the bathtub and pulled up to the curb. He squinted at me in the glaring California sunshine. “Say something in ‘prince,'” he said finally.

“Ycsss—sank—you—very—mush,” I hissed haltingly.

Frank’s unblinking stare brushed over my face with light, inscrutable finger tips. “We’re in,” he said, and roared into gear.

Frank drove to a house where his friends — none of whom had ever before seen the author — were watching a football game. Frank entered first and prepared his friends.

“Look folks, I’m in a little bit of a spot. I met a Saudi Arabian prince—”

“A prince?”

“King  Saud’s son. I met him at a party some Egyptian friends of mine threw in Beverly Hills the other night. He wants to see how Americans really live and he asked me to show him around town. I’ve got him out in the car and—”

“Right now?”

“Now. So look. I’m gonna bring him in. Now don’t panic! He’s a regular guy and he doesn’t want any fuss made over him. Just remember to address him as ‘your highness.’ But one thing — be casual!”

Blatty entered the room like a slumming prince.

I hastily spotted the most imposing chair in the room, marched over to it like Yul Brynner imitating Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and sat down, curling my fingers around the arm rest as though the chair were a throne, and, so help me, I felt majestic, even though I was wearing desert boots, Bermuda shorts and a loud, peppermint-striped shirt.

“Do you like football, your highness?” asked Denny Owen, a rugged college footballer.

“Foutball?”

“Ah—don’t they play football in your country?”

“I—sink—no.”

“Well…” and he good-heartedly launched into an explanation of the game. This seemed to ease the tension considerably, and someone else asked me if I would like a beer. I gave him the royal “oui” and Denny and Frank went into the kitchen.

I overheard their conversation:

Denny: “Cripes. I can’t hardly stand it! A prince! Here! And watchin’ the Rams on TV!”

Frank: “Take it easy, will ya, Denny? He’ll hear you.”

Denny: “What’s the deal on the candy stripe shirt, huh, Frank?”

Frank: “Oh, he’s just trying lo be one of the boys. Here, give him his beer.”

Denny: “A can, Frank—a can? We gotta give it to ‘im in a glass!”

Frank: “Nah, he’s a regular guy, I tell ya.”

Denny: “Well. O.K.”

And at this point I turned on my thro— er– chair, and saw rugged Denny carefully wiping and rubbing the top of the beer can with the tail of his clean white shirt.

Meanwhile, the Rams won the game, the TV was turned off and everyone became convivial. I learned later that some of the people in the room rather sided with the Israelis in the Arab-Israel dispute, but they were warm and friendly, and never gave a sign of their feelings. They were even suggesting nightclubs that they thought I should visit, places like the world-famous Mocambo.

Blatty was the toast of Hollywood that week. He appeared on talk shows and variety shows. He was invited to private dinners with movie stars. He succeeded beyond his most cynical dreams. The charade climaxed when Blatty got a chance to match his imposture against one of the country’s best fake princes.

One night a noted Hollywood publicist invited me along to an evening at ‘Prince’ Mike Romanoff’s. And thus it was that in the cool of the evening, ‘prince’ met ‘prince,’ ingenious imposter met up-and-coming challenger.

Entering Romanoff’s restaurant, accompanied by a studio publicity agent, Blatty seated himself with noble aplomb at a table. Within minutes, ‘Prince’ Romanoff hovered into view.

“Well, hello there,” he smiled genially, coming up to us.

“Hi, Mike. . . . Uh— your highness. Prince Kheer, may I present his highness, ‘Prince’ Romanoff?”

“How are you?” I murmured.

“A pleasure,” said Romanoff.

“His highness,” said the publicist, “is from Saudi Arabia. You know. King Saud’s son.”

“Oh. Of course, of course.” For one memorable, tremendous moment, Romanoff’s gaze locked with mine. It was toe-to-toe and there was silence in the arena.

The moment passed.

“Uh—by the way, your highness,” said the publicist, “there’s something I think you ought to know. I mean, I think I ought to tell you.”

“Iss what?”

“Well. “Prince’ Romanoff— he isn’t really a prince.”

Our shrimp cocktail had arrived.

“Iss what?” I demanded.

“They say he’s not a prince. Everyone knows it. But we like him so much we go along with the gag. No harm done.”

I put down my shrimp fork. “But iss not prince! ”

“Yes, but—”

“Sorry. I am insult.” And rising majestically, I strode out of the dining room, out of Romanoff’s and out of my life as a prince, because, brother, I believe in quitting while you’re ahead!

With that snub, that out-royaling Hollywood’s most famous ‘royal,’ Blatty returned to life as a commoner.

Emeril Lagasse Makes the Most of Farmer’s Market Finds

A national TV personality, having hosted more than 1,500 episodes of cooking shows, Chef Emeril Lagasse is the proprietor of 13 restaurants across the country and author of numerous cookbooks. His latest collection of recipes, Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh, is now available at major bookstores and amazon.com.

Here’s a peek at what’s inside.

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

“Rhubarb and strawberries is a classic duo that appears in farmers’ markets and grocery stores at the same time each year, letting us know that spring has officially arrived. Look for rhubarb stalks that are deep red and firm to the touch, and deep red berries that are firm, fragrant, and not bruised.” —Emeril Lagasse

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease deep dish pie pan or other shallow 1 ½- to 2-quart nonreactive baking dish and set aside.
Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in medium mixing bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish and set aside while you prepare topping.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, combine remaining ingredients and process on low speed until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Sprinkle topping over fruit and place the baking dish on low-sided baking sheet (to catch juices that may bubble over). Transfer to oven and bake until topping is golden brown, crisp, and juices are bubbly and glossy, 40 to 45 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Tapenade
(Makes 2 cups)

“I used heirloom Roma tomatoes for this recipe, but at the height of tomato season when there are so many varieties to choose from, I think just about any variety of small, sweet tomato will work well here. Roasted tomatoes have a concentrated flavor, so remember, the better the tomato, the better the flavor. Use this tapenade as a spread for roasted vegetable sandwiches, tossed with pasta and olive oil for a quick pasta sauce, or on crostini for a quick hors d’oeuvre.” —Emeril Lagasse

Preheat oven to 450 F.

In medium size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange herbs on baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Dot inside of each tomato half with some garlic. Lay tomatoes, cut-sides down, on top of herbs. Roast tomatoes for 20 minutes, or until skins are crackly. Remove tomatoes from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Place tomato halves and garlic on a cutting board. Discard the whole herb sprigs. Add any juices, garlic, and herb leaves that remain on pan to cutting board with tomatoes. Run knife over tomatoes three or four times in chopping motion until tomatoes are uniformly chopped. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in vinegar, olives, and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Transfer to nonreactive container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Tapenade will keep up to 1 week in refrigerator.

Preventing Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Click here for Part 1: Understanding SCA. 5 facts about sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack.

Preventing Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Every two minutes, someone collapses and dies from a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system—a condition called sudden cardiac arrest or SCA—and most of the victims have no idea they are at risk for the tragic event.

“That’s absolutely true,” says Dr. Richard Page, immediate past president of the Heart Rhythm Society and chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “While a single individual’s chance of dying suddenly is quite small, there are so many people out on the street with some risk that the overwhelming majority of SCA victims have not ever demonstrated cardiac disease.”

The challenge for SCA researchers is two-fold, according to Dr. Page, who recently took time to discuss with us the latest findings on SCA risk factors and symptoms, as well as advances in preventing the heart emergency and saving lives.

“It comes down to two questions,” explains the heart rhythm specialist. “How can we better identify those at risk? And, given the fact we can’t identify all (or even most) of the potential patients: How do we address sudden cardiac arrest when it does happen?

Post: About 250,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. Who is at most at risk?

Dr. Page: Ongoing research confirms that heart structure is an important risk factor. People with an enlarged heart, or heart damage from a prior heart attack, are at higher risk for SCA than those with normal heart structure.

Remember, a heart attack isn’t a sudden cardiac arrest; a heart attack is death of heart tissue due to a blockage in an artery. A person who has a heart attack doesn’t lose consciousness, unless they have a cardiac arrest on top of that.

But it is clear from large, multi-center, randomized studies that many patients with prior injury to the heart or enlargement of the heart are better off with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) than without one.

More recently, we have identified certain families who are at higher risk because of cardiomyopathy (a condition in which the heart is enlarged or thickened) or an electrical abnormality called long Q-T syndrome that can be seen on the EKG test. In addition, investigators are identifying the genetic abnormalities that underlie these conditions, as well as some genetic traits that may put one at higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest that are less subtle than abnormal heart structure or function.

Post: Is genetic screening for SCA risk available yet?

Dr. Page: Genetic tests for the general population are not ready for primetime because the genes don’t predict risk adequately. An abnormal EKG, for example, may or may not represent a significant risk to the individual. But we may have genetic tests for general screening five or ten years from now.

Likewise, there continues to be some debate as to the proper way to screen athletes. In Europe (particularly in Italy) everyone who participates in sports is screened with an electrocardiogram. The American Heart Association doesn’t yet recommend that. But they do advise that people be examined and asked about personal and family history. If someone has family members who died suddenly, he or she is clearly at higher risk for SCA and should be evaluated further.

Post: You mentioned that Italy recommends EKGs. Don’t we use echocardiograms (Echos) to screen U.S. athletes?

Dr. Page: We do both in some cases—but according to the risk. The most aggressive method of screening athletes is an exam, a history, an EKG, and an Echo. The echocardiogram defines heart structure. It provides a two-dimensional moving picture that shows chamber size and wall thickness. An EKG provides indirect evidence of structure. For example, alterations in electrical activity may suggest hypertrophy, or a prior heart attack. It doesn’t necessarily tell you if the heart is enlarged or damaged the way an Echo does, but it’s a simple and less expensive test.

Another point about universal screening: Some might say, “Well, let’s just screen everybody.” Well, the problem is that the tests aren’t perfect. If you screen a low-risk population, there will be some false positive results. I am concerned that the Italian protocols have excluded too many athletes. So universal screening of athletes might cause undue concern, and even cause some athletes at low risk to stop competing. Universal screening of low-risk individuals is a double-edged sword.

Are there any symptoms or warning signs of SCA?

Dr. Page: There may be symptoms in some cases. An important warning is passing out, or fainting. Most episodes of passing out are not a cause for alarm. But people should get checked out if they pass out while exercising, or if they experience palpitations and feel close to passing out. In addition, those with a history of heart attack or heart failure need to know their ejection fraction—a number that reflects the percentage of blood that is pumped from the left ventricle with each heartbeat. A good, efficient heartbeat pumps out more than half the blood in that chamber. When the heart is enlarged or scarred, however, the ejection fraction can drop below 35 percent or less. These people are at higher risk of SCA, and may be candidates for an ICD. A patient ought to be able to ask a doctor, “Is my heart enlarged, and if so, is there a number that would suggest I should have a defibrillator implanted?”

Post: What type of test is used to determine the patient’s ejection fraction?

Dr. Page: The most common test used to determine the ejection fraction is the echocardiogram. As I mentioned earlier, this test is basically a two-dimensional movie. Geometric calculations of the chamber volume just before and after the left ventricle squeezes suggest how much blood is pumped from the heart. For example, if the volume was a hundred before it squeezes and 50 after it squeezes, that’s an ejection fraction of 50 percent, which is good. But if the volume was 100 squeezing down to 75, that’s an ejection fraction of 25 percent, which is bad, and adds risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

Post: What should people do to lower their risk of SCA?

Dr. Page: If you have a personal or family history of recurrent pass-out spells, see a doctor. But all of us (whether or not we have heart disease) should care of our hearts. Discuss your cardiovascular risk factors with your doctor. Then, stop smoking, eat properly, exercise, control diabetes, and keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check to protect your heart and blood vessels.

Minimizing the risk of developing heart disease lowers the risk of heart damage and sudden cardiac arrest. Every day, I tell patients they ought to exercise. I don’t want to be a hypocrite, so I work out between 4:30 and 5:30 each morning, and then go to the office. I wish I ate a perfect diet, but I am trying!

Click here for more on SCA and an animation of the life-threatening emergency from The Heart Rhythm Society.

Watch for more from Dr. Page about saving lives with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in a future Medical Update posting.