Bethpage-Tribune_1971-01-07

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Island Trees Serving Beth page - Piainview - Island Trees - Plainedge - Seaford Old Bethpage
Vol. 5 No. 10 Thursday, January 7, 1971 10c par copy
Old Landmark Destroyed Nassau County Medical Society
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Urges Abortion Amendments
Bethpage Firemen began the New Year fighting a fire
that totally destroyed- structure behind a Bethpage
Landmark, Anselmi's Restaurant, Jan. 1,1971. Despite
severe snow conditions, fire department responded
immediately* Photos by Ken Hollins
Burke Names New Assistant
Town Supervisor John W.
Burke announced Tuesday that
Owen B. Walsh, a 40-year-old
attorney from Syosset, has been
appointed to a position with the
Town as Burke's executive
assistant.
Walsh, who resides at 30 Hick­man
Street with his wife,
Dorothy, and three children, has
been serving in a non salaried
position as first Chairman of the
Town's Planning Advisory Board
since that body was created by
Burke last June.
"I have known Owen Walsh for
many years, " Burke said, "but I
have been increasingly im­pressed
by him since I began
working closely with the Plan­ning
Advisory Board."
Walsh is presently Assistant
General Counsel to two national
corporations wherein he directs
efforts of attorneys in 38 states
and seven provinces of Canada.
His legal background reflects a
skill in assembling data for
detailed analysis, determining
essentials, preparing succinct
reports and planning future
action, notes a town official.
Walsh is a member of the
Special Panel of Mediators, Fact-
Finders and Arbitrators for the
States of New York and New
Jersey and he is past president
(three terms) of the East
Meadow Board of Education, one
of the largest school districts in
New York State.
He was graduated from Hof-stra
University where he was
selected for Who's Who in
American Colleges & Univer­sities
in 1952, and earned his law
degree at New York University.
Walsh was honored by Hofstra
as Alumnus of the Year in 1970 for
his outstanding community
service. He has also been honored
by the Nassau-Suffolk District
Council, Jewish War Veterans,
for unstinting effort and devotion
towards the youth of the com­munity.
Pointing to the dangers of
"abortion facilities which are not
subject to inspection or
regulation''', the Nassau County
Medical Society has adopted a
resolution calling for abortions in
the County to be performed only
at State-certified hospitals or
hospital-related facilities by
qualified physicians.
, It also urged the New York
State' Legislature to amend the
State abortion law to include this ,
provision and to prohibit abor­tions
after the 20th" week of
pregnancy, except when the
mother's life is involved.
The Executive Committee of
the Society, which represents
2200 physicians in Nassau
County, adopted the resolution
after extensive study.
The Medical Society said that
abortions should be performed
only at State-certified hospitals
arid hospital-related facilities
because "abortion is a medical
procedure with the possibility of
complication."
The Medical Society's
resolution stated that, should the
Legislature fail to act on these
two recommended changes in the
abortion law, the Society will ask
for legislation on the County level
to provide inspection of abortion
facilities and other safeguards to
the public.
Tobay Seeks
Abortion Control
Supervisor John W. Burke
directed Town Attorney Bernard
F. McCaffrey Tuesday to prepare
a proposed local law for a public
hearing to control the use of
medical buildings and other
facilities as "abortion centers'1! in
the 'Town.
Burke said he was hopeful the
Town Attorney would have the
proposed legislation ready for a
public hearing within a month.
The Supervisor claimed the
move was prompted by the Town
Board's concern for the health;
safety and welfare of the Town
residents.
"The Town Board is not at­tempting
to circumvent the .law
of the State of New York relating
to abortions,-'* Burke said, "but
rather to see to it that abortions
are performed only in facilities
having the proper accreditation
from State and local health
authorities, such as County and
State Departments of Health as
well as the State Hospital Review
and Planning Council.
"While pregnancy termination
might be considered a minor
operation by some" Burke added,
"there is always a possibility of
complications developing which
a local medical center of
(Continued On Page 5)
Dr. Leo Fishel, president of the
Medical Society, pointed out that
there is "great danger in the
establishment of abortion
facilities which are not subject to
inspection or regulation, which
do not have adequate facilities or
personnel to handle unexpected
emergencies, which do not have
to report to, or be accountable to,
any local or state health agency.
"Hospitals and hospital-related
facilities, which have met the
certification requirements of
Article 28 of the State Public
Health Law, are subject to in­spection
and have proper
facilities for emergency
situations", he said.
The portion,, of the Medical
Society's resolution caiiing for-a
change in the maximum number
of weeks an abortion can be
performed from the 24 weeks now
in the State law to 20 weeks was
based on the medical hazards
involved in an advanced state of
pregnancy.
The resolution stressed that
"the aboriion procedure be done
before the twelfth week of
pregnancy; that any con­sideration
of interruption bet­ween
twelve and twenty weeks be
thoroughly reviewed, and
adequate consultations be ob­tained;
that no interruption be
done after the twentieth week of
pregaancy except in those cases
which require medical ter­mination
of pregnancy for con­ditions
that would cause im- ***
minent death of the mother."
Dr. Thomas Sheehy, chairman
of the Medical Society's com­mittee
on abortion policy, pointed
out that "it was expected that
most abortions would be per­formed
without complication, but
since July 1st, when the law went
into effect, it has been found that
there have been a surprising
number of people with such
complications as infection,
perforation of the uterus, hem-morrhage,
thrombo-phlebitis and
hysterectomy.
"The risks of permanent
sterility and menstrual disorders
are also present," he noted.
"Experience has shown that the .
safest * period to perform an
abortion is up to the twelfth week
of pregnancy. Different ttbortioa
techniques which are more .
hazardous to the mother are
needed from the twelfth to six­teenth
weeks, and from the
sixteenth to twentieth weeks."
The- Society further recom­mended
that hospitals and
doctors performing abortions
receive "informed consent" from
their patients and that the
patients be told in advance of the
possible health complications
which might result from abor­tions.
The Society also urged all
instiuttions in Which abortions
are performed to have a program
insuring adequate birth control
and family counseling'to limit the
requests for abortions.
Nassau County Executive Ralph G. C a s o delivers h is
inaugural address following induction ceremonies on
New Y e a r ' s Day in the Central J u r y Room in t h e new
Supreme Court Building. More t h a n 600 b r a v e d heavy
snowfall to a t t e n d affair. Also inducted were County
Comptroller Angelo D. Roncallo and County Clerk
Harold McConnell.