that has a "porno store." These neighborhoods, Times Square for instance, are fun to visit, but unfashionable to live in, and nothing to be snotty about. Those of us who live in hi klass neighborhoods have to take a hike to find what Clay seemingly has at his doorstep: a "porno store." I realize this is a democracy, but don't you think it's carrying democracy a little far when you run a letter from an undesirable?

Boyd McDonald Manhattan

AIDS and Pork Insulin

In response to your article ("AIDS and Pork Insulin..." Native 131), our method of extracting and purifying insulin from pork pancreases uses chemical conditions and techniques that would kill or exclude the African Swine Fever virus and the AIDS virus from our insulin products.

The African Swine Fever virus is very large in comparison to the insulin molecule and would not behave the same as insulin during the purification steps we use in the in-

a pH of 3 or less.

In a study published in the Lancet ("Inactivation of Lymphadenopathy Associated Virus by Chemical Disinfectants," October 20, 1984), it was shown that the AIDS virus was inactivated to 1-percent retrovirus activity after exposure to an ethyl alcohol concentration of 19 percent for five minutes. During the insulin manufacturing process, the pancreatic material is subjected to an ethyl alcohol concentration of 60 percent for five hours.

During the more than 60 years that Eli Lil-

ly and Company has been producing insulin

products, our principal concern has been the health and well-being of the diabetic patient. Thus, we welcome the opportunity to present these facts. As you can see, there is no basis in fact or in science for diabetic patients to be concerned about contracting AIDS by using Lilly insulin.

Edward L. Smithwick, Jr., Ph.D. Director, Biosynthetic Development and Technical Services Eli Lilly and Company Indianapolis, Indiana

sulin manufacturing process. These steps inTaking Responsibility

clude ion-exchange chromatherapy, gelfiltration chromatography, isoelectric precipitation, and crystallization.

It is now apparent that Jim Levin's "analysis" of the Rothenberg campaign ("Why Rothenberg Lost," Native 135) was flawed by more than bias or partisanship. His facts were wrong, wrong, wrong. It seems to me that the Native should take some responsibility for helping to propagate such sloppy, misleading information. After all, so many of Jim's "facts" were so easy to verify. But the Native, it seems, had other things to do. Paul Sonderberg Brooklyn

Gel-filtration chromatography in particular, which separates materials on the basis of size, would completely remove the virus. According to a study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, Volume 27, Number 120, entitled "Growth and Certain Stability Characteristics of African Swine Fever Virus," the virus ranges in size from 100 to 300 millimicrons. This is more than an order of magnitude larger than. the insulin molecule, which ranges in size from 25 to 50 angstroms. An angstrom is only one-tenth the size of a millimicron. On Hold Therefore, at the lowest end of the range, the African Swine Fever virus is 40 times larger than the insulin molecule. The gel-filtration process that we use removes molecules as small as 1.5 times greater than the insulin

molecule.

Additionally, the African Swine Fever virus is susceptible to low pH. In a study published in the German journal Archiv Fur Die Gesamte Virusforschung, 383-402, 1967, entitled "The Stability of African

Swine Fever Virus with Particular Reference to Heat and pH Inactivation," it was demonstrated that "in serum-free media, virus was not inactivated rapidly until the pH fell below 3.9; a very resistant fraction persisted down to pH 3.1 but not to pH 2.7 after an exposure period of 20 to 22 hours." During the insulin manufacturing process, the virus would be exposed to a pH of 3 or less for 29 hours.

In summary, after being subjected to our insulin extraction and purification techniques, the African Swine Fever virus would not survive. Further, we can find no valid scientific evidence that the African Swine Fever virus causes AIDS.

With regard to the AIDS virus, it, too, would not survive our insulin extraction and purification techniques. Scientific studies demonstrate that when the AIDS virus is subjected to low pH and ethyl alcohol it is rapidly inactivated. During the insulin manufacturing process, the pancreatic material is subjected to both low pH and ethyl alcohol at levels far exceeding those that are known to kill the AIDS virus. Additional purification steps, such as gel-filtration chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, isoelectric precipitation, and crystallization, ensure that the virus is not present in our insulin products.

In a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases ("Disinfection and Inactivation of the Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type III/Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus," Volume 152, Number 2, August 1985), it was shown that the AIDS virus was 50 percent inactivated after exposure for 10 minutes to a pH of 3. During the insulin manufacturing process, the pancreatic material is exposed for a total of 29 hours to

The report on Georgetown University in the National News section of Native 136 ("Money Given to Homophobic University") was incorrect. The bonds have been authorized, but have not been issued. Georgetown has not received the money from the bonds.

Before the bonds can be issued, the director of the Office of Human Rights must certify that Georgetown is in compliance with the city's Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. That certification has not been made. The bonds have not been issued.

The amount of money mentioned in your story, $127 million, is incomplete, because it covers only the second of two requests made by Georgetown. Originally, Georgetown requested $70 million in bonds. Therefore, two bond issues totaling $197 million have now been authorized but remain unapproved pending certification of compliance with the Human Rights Act.

Patrick R. Mahoney Media Director Gay Activists Alliance Washington, D.C.

Carbon Copies

B'nai Brith

December 7, 1985

1640 Rhode Island Avenue, N.E. Washington, DC 20036

I am appalled that the Anti-Defamation League has given John Cardinal O'Connor an interfaith award. He may be an angel when it comes to his attitudes toward Jews, but he does the work of the other side when it comes to lesbians and gay men. He has done more than any other person to destroy any legal protections we had in New York City. I'm tired of being excluded from "mainstream" Judaism by such thoughtless acts. The insensitivity of all but the Reform establishment explains why I have felt the need to help to found a lesbian and gay synagogue on Long Island. An apology is in

Continued on next page

THE ABCS of IRAs

So who's Ira? An IRA is an individual Retirement Account. It's a tax-sheltered program that lets you save up to $2,000 a year for your retirement and take a tax deduction, too. As long as your money stays in your IRA, the government doesn't tax it or the income it generates.

Who's eligible? Anyone who works for a living is eligible, no matter whom you work for (including yourself), or what else you've done to ensure your future.

Even if I have a pension plan? You're eligible even if you have a pension plan, a profit-sharing plan or a Keogh account.

How much can I save? You can set aside up to $2,000 a year for your retirement or just $167 a month if you prefer an easy payment plan. Or if you can't afford that, you can invest as little as $50 a month. How can you not afford it?

What kind of investments can I put in my IRA? You can select from a wide variety of opportunities-from conservative U.S. government bonds to aggressive growth stocks managed by nationally-recognized firms such as Oppenheimer and Dreyfus.

When do distributions begin? You can start drawing on your IRA at age 592 but no later than age 70. Distributions may begin earlier in the event of disability.

Why not just go to a bank? Bank rates are low. Even U.S. Government Bonds offer higher yields. At Christopher Street Financial, an IRA investment is based on the philosophy that the opportunity for a higher return is preferable to the certainty of a lower one.

What if I already have a bank IRA? Christopher Street Financial can help you transfer (rollover) from a lower yielding bank deposit to a more suitable investment without any penalties.

SPOSTEN, ESTOVES M MAKEN VER ON SOM A E E E ENDED THE ONSEN WONG Y E ORAN

Please send me more information about

an IRA.

NAME

ADDRESS CITY

a Rollover.

PHONE

STATE

ZIP

CHRISTOPHER STREET FINANCIAL, INC. 80 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005 212/269-0110

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of Securities Dealers

NEW YORK NATIVE/DECEMBER 2329, 1985 5,