Elian's Cuban doctor arrives with Elian's meds...
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NewsMax.com
newsmax.com
With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
For the story behind the story...
Sunday April 30, 2000; 1:35 PM EDT
Cuban Doctor Caught Taking Tranquilizers to Elian
On Thursday U.S. Customs officials at
Washington's Dulles International Airport
confiscated several medications carried by Elian
Gonzalez's Cuban pediatrician, who was enroute
to the six-year-old's temporary residence at
Maryland's Wye River Plantation.
Among the seized pharmaceuticals were two
powerful tranquilizers that could be used to
make Elian appear more happy in the wake of the
reunion with his father, Juan Miguel.
A series of photos released by Greg Craig, the
onetime Clinton impeachment attorney who now
represents Mr. Gonzalez, have been offered as
evidence that Elian has overcome the trauma of
his gunpoint abduction by federal agents a week
ago. Clinton administration spokespeople say the
photos prove the boy is overjoyed to have
finally been returned to his father after a five
month stay with his Miami family.
But evidence that Cuban doctors may have doped
the Cuban raft boy could severely undermine
claims that the images of a smiling Elian
hugging his father are genuine.
In an account completely ignored by the national
press, The Miami Herald reported on Friday that
customs agents searched the bags of Elian's
Cuban pediatrician, Dr. Caridad Ponce de Leon,
and collected several drugs:
"The confiscated medicines were listed as
amikacin sulfate, used for treatment of
bacterial and staph infections; aminophyllin, a
bronchodilator for treatment of asthma,
bronchitis and emphysema; cefazoline, for
treatment of respiratory, urinary, skin and
other infections; meprobamate, better known by
the trade name Miltown, for treatment of
anxiety; and phenobarbital, a barbiturate used
as a sedative."
At the news of the seizure Granma, Cuba's
Communist Party newspaper, complained, "it
appears that Customs officials know what kinds
of medicine Elian, his cousin and the rest of
the children and adults may need."
Dr. Ponce de Leon was part of a ten person Cuban
delegation, including four children, who were
authorized to visit the Cuban raft boy by the
Clinton administration last week. According to
Friday's Washington Times, "The reason for the
visits was described as delivering supplies."
It's impossible to know if there have been other
attempts to smuggle sedatives to Elian or
whether those attempts have been successful,
since the White House has kept the boy isolated
from independent doctors. Media access has been
all but eliminated by attorney Craig, who has
close ties to Fidel Castro.
According to The PDR Family Guide to
Prescription Drugs, Miltown is a habit forming
drug that should not be given to children under
six years of age. Elian is six years, five
months old.
"Miltown is a tranquilizer used in the treatment
of anxiety disorders and for short term relief
of the symptoms of anxiety," advises the PDR
report. "Miltown can be habit forming. You can
develop tolerance and dependence and you may
experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop using
this drug abruptly."
Miltown should be prescribed only in cases of
extraordinary stress and upset, warns the PDR
drug guide. "Anxiety or tension related to
everyday stress usually does not require
treatment with Miltown."
Common side effects can include allergic
reactions, diarrhea, fever, headaches,
drowsiness, a general loss of alertness and even
dizziness. The PDR also warns that Miltown can
induce "inappropriate excitement" and an
"exaggerated feeling of well-being."
The Mayo Clinic USP Drug Guide, mirrors the
PDR's report, noting that Miltown may cause
such side effects as "confusion," "unusual
excitement" and a "false sense of well being."
Miltown's usual dose for children 6 to 12 years
of age is 200 to 600 miligrams per day divided
into 2 or 3 doses.
Side effects for phenobarbitol, the other
sedative confiscated from Elian's Cuban
pediatrician, include drowsiness and other forms
of cognitive and behavioral impairment. Abrupt
withdrawal from phenobarbitol can induce
epileptic seizures.
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