Moon Flight Mystery

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 11

Moon Flight Mystery

W.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) | WASHINGTON, Feb. 4. I The chief physician to i America’s astronauts revealed yesterday still- 1 mysterious evidence from the Apollo 12 moon voyage that prolonged spaceflight may intensify the action of certain bacteria that earthlings normally carry on their skin. , Dr Charles Berry said that Commanders Alan Bean and Charles Conrad, the two Apollo 12 voyagers who landed on the moon, had each sustained temporary postflight infections from staphylococcus bacteria they carried with them from the earth, and which apparently increased in virulence during flight Dr Berry was speaking at a luncheon meeting of the Washington Heart Associate, which presented him

with a special award for what is described as outstanding I contributions to the study of 'hearts in space.

Immediately before Apollo 112 was launched, he said, the astronauts were thoroughly • examined to assess the normal i microbial flora, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other organisms, which everyone carried on his skin, and to which most people were normally immune because of ' long experience with them. During the flight to and ' from the moon in the enclosed space vehicle, the preflight confrontation of differ- : ent kinds of organisms beI came altered, for reasons still ( unknown. “Some of the organisms 1 died off,” Dr Berry said, “while ‘opportunistic’ ones took over, especially staphylococcus aureus.” The so-called “staph-aureus” is the type of staphylococci that, in many people, causes boils and abscesses. It also : can cause pus formation in i open wounds and lacerations, ■ and sometimes in minor skin i irritations.