6 -



15. ACTIVITIES IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

    A follow-up study at Ashland Community College has revealed
that sincel963, a number of students have entered health-related
professional schools: medicine, 23; dentistry, eight; pharmacy, 23;
and physical therapy, two. Four of six students who have gone di-
rectly into the College of Dentistry from a two-year institution
have come from Ashland.

    Hopkinsville Community College is meeting the problems of a
shortage of high school levcl athletic officials by offering a class
in sports officiating. The teacher, Eldridge Rogers, says the course
is divided according to the different seasons: football, basketball,
and baseball. One of the requirements of the course is that students
make an application to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
to become registered as officials.

    Community use of the facilities at Hazard is increasing rapidly.
During the first four months of the academic year, more than 2,200
people representing 14 separate groups have utilized the facilities.

    A Speaker's Bureau has been established at Henderson, involving
administrators, faculty, and students. The Bureau provides speakers
at no cost to interested groups in the community. Topics generally
deal with contemporary issues, fields in which faculty members are
teaching, and points of view presented by the students. Six speaking
engagements were filled during November, and four engagements are
scheduled for December.



16. RESEARCH TO PROBE FUNGUS-CAUSED DISEASES

    The new mycology building, located on the Poultry Farm on Viley
Road, has been completed. The structure is regarded as a step for-
ward in the battle for control ofanew order of fungus-caused diseases,
the most important of which is histoplasmosis. Research being con-
ducted in the new facility is under the direction of Dr. Michael L.
Furcolow, professor of epidemiology. Dr. Furcolow has devoted more
than 25 years to the study of histoplasmosis and is regarded as one of
the nation's leading authorities on pinpointing its source. Histo-
plasmosis is referred to as "the great masquerader" because it is one
of the most mysterious but most common infections known in the country.
It mimics other diseases; it fools the X-rays; few diseases have been
mislabeled as often. Histoplasmosis most often is mistaken for tuber-
culosis, but also has been thought to be lung cancer, influenza, virus
pneumonia and even leukemia. The disease is caused by a type of fungus
that closely resembles bread mold. The excreta of chickens, birds and
bats contain a fertilizing substance that stimulates the growth of the
fungus, enabling it to survive in the soil. Pigeon and starling drop-
pings around trees of old courthouses are a good example of ideal con-
ditions.