00:00:00.240 - 00:00:44.120

right, right. Two days and two nights don't share any surrenders in the scary neighborhood where AIDS is winning so far, really thought that I could get eight. Mm, yeah, yeah, You may not have heard much about it, but it's exploding. It's

00:00:44.120 - 00:01:01.170

the collision of the two great epidemics in America today. AIDS and drugs. From its beginnings in New York, the deadly new combination is on the move headed for America's other big cities. Right now, some 250,000 drug addicts nationwide are infected with the AIDS virus, and more

00:01:01.170 - 00:01:19.120

than half the people carrying the virus eventually come down with AIDS and die. The victims not gaze this time, but heterosexual men and women, even Children, come along with us for 48 hours to AIDS Alley, a place where many people are dying and a few are

00:01:19.120 - 00:01:48.230

fighting. We want to let people know in the community how to prevent the spread of the virus, where Bunches of take a group of literature, hand out the literature. It's the middle of the day in the middle of New York Spanish Harlem, a neighborhood infested with

00:01:48.240 - 00:02:08.770

junkies, people who you feel are intravenous drug users okay. Either side. Either some mannerisms that you might pick up their street workers from an anti drug agency called Adapt. Handing out bleach kits just before our 48 hours began back legal bleach so the addicts can clean

00:02:08.770 - 00:02:24.990

their needles and take a bleach. Put it into words. You suck it out four times in most places. Works is a verb around here. It's also a noun. It's more important just to clean your works out. The information is real important. It's what they call their

00:02:24.990 - 00:02:39.830

needles and other drug paraphernalia. And we all know that if we get caught with this is one year in jail, right? But we risk it trying to show people how to clean this set of works. Okay. Possession of a hypodermic syringe. It's illegal. Yolanda Serrano used

00:02:39.830 - 00:03:02.510

to work in a hospital with drug addicts. Now she works in the streets. So you put the bleach in there, okay? And actually, you draw up Steve. Okay? You draw it up, and then you do this four times at least four times. Okay? Right now, you're

00:03:02.520 - 00:03:21.140

basically giving out bleach to clean hypodermic needles and condoms so they don't transmit this disease But if you had your way, you'd give out needles, wouldn't you? Yes, sir. In order to protect the public health in order to help these people survive the disease of AIDS.

00:03:21.150 - 00:03:36.410

Is there no moral argument here that giving junk addicts needles is just plain wrong? It's not wrong again because there's no drug treatment for them. And these people are being infected and therefore they're affecting their sexual partners and their Children. If she's the shepherd, junkies are

00:03:36.410 - 00:03:52.750

her flock. In this city, that mostly means Hispanics and blacks. If you're going to use clean your set of works and prevent dying from A until you get into a drug treatment program, Yeah, Orlando, Yes, I just have trouble believing that people you're telling me these

00:03:52.750 - 00:04:05.830

people don't know that you can get AIDS and die if they spread their suffering and they have addiction? Okay, let me explain to you, the disease of addiction is very powerful. If they have to get straight and there's no needles around, they're going to use whatever

00:04:05.830 - 00:04:20.550

needles is available. Sure, because they want to get high because they have to take care of not going into convulsions. It may be dying from the disease, even if it means they're gonna die from AIDS. Right, Because the disease of addiction is more powerful than HIV

00:04:20.550 - 00:04:36.650

infection at the time, they're going through the withdrawal. So you're not? Um Yes, sir. You shoot heroin. Do you know about it? You know that if you if you share the needle and you have some flood on the needle Yeah, I can get you can get

00:04:36.650 - 00:04:53.970

it. Is that you can die. You shoot up anyway, right? Do you share a needle? Yes, sir. I'm in the Medford on program using coke. You're snorting coke. I shoot it. You should co? Yeah. And it comes with Who is this? This is your son. How

00:04:53.970 - 00:05:11.150

old is it? Three years old. He's three years old and you're shooting cocaine. And you're using a needle? Yeah. There are enough I v drug addicts in New York to populate a medium sized city. An estimated 200,000. And the experts say up to six out of

00:05:11.160 - 00:05:28.680

10 of them 120,000 people are infected with the AIDS virus. Any one of them can spread the disease every time I go to to my house. You know, I think my wife I don't know. The relationship is it's not like before, you know, she don't want

00:05:28.680 - 00:05:46.520

to have. How do you call that into clothes with me? We haven't even happened to cost around eight months. That's a long time. I'll tell you something. You're shooting. You're shooting cocaine into your veins every every day. You say you don't share needles. Isn't she worried

00:05:46.520 - 00:05:56.480

about? Yeah. Maybe that's why she doesn't have anything to do. You tell me that the things I got A Because I got skinny, I lost a lot of weight and I don't have a choice. The only thing is that cooked and I'll be shooting. When did

00:05:56.480 - 00:06:11.890

you do it last? When you shoot coke last yesterday. And what are you gonna do it next? It's just one o'clock in the afternoon. Honest. When was the last time you shot up? Uh, his name is Manny. He's got no job, no place to live, no

00:06:11.890 - 00:06:28.910

money except what he panhandles to feed his habit. Shoot up again today? Yes, about an hour. But Manny is punctual, at least when it comes to shooting up. I'm just gonna take care of my head. I gotta have it. So thanks myself. Those new needles, Uh,

00:06:28.920 - 00:06:43.500

these are the ones I used, the ones he always used. Okay. Okay. So excuse us, Landau. Look, I got to tell you, there's a lot of people are going to watch this. Look at this. Not going to think you're doing God's work. You know that. And

00:06:43.500 - 00:06:58.620

I'm gonna tell them. Yes, I am. Because this is saving this man's life, and he is a human being and were responsible for these drugs coming into our country. These are victims. Do you know it? Do you know if you have the AIDS virus? Well, I

00:06:58.620 - 00:07:08.820

wouldn't know, because it's like, right now I couldn't get to my Medicaid right now. I don't know if I have it or not, sir. You don't. That's true. I don't know. Do you think about that? I think about it. Yes, sir. Because I don't want to

00:07:08.830 - 00:07:27.510

die. Who wants to die? Nobody wants to die. But now this abandoned tenement with garbage all over the place is what they call a shooting gallery. Inside, the junkies shoot up their drugs. What they usually do is pass the needle around, which is often tinged with

00:07:27.520 - 00:07:53.460

blood. And that's how the AIDS virus has spread. Okay, this is your place? Yes. And this is what they call shooting gallery, Obviously. Well, it's Simi because I don't just let anybody people. I know. I so meet Doc shooting gallery entrepreneur, his specialty, sterilizing and selling

00:07:53.460 - 00:08:07.700

works, then allowing his clients to shoot up right here in his office. What is something like that cost If somebody comes in and says, Doctor, 90 hours, Right. And if you got your own, Have you got your own set? Right at the dollar? If you don't

00:08:07.700 - 00:08:26.270

have is $2 by these, that's the way I do it here. Someplace is more. You share needles. No, I do. Did you Yeah. Tell me about why run? I think about AIDS. I think when I say maybe they said I don't know who's used it, you

00:08:26.270 - 00:08:41.400

know? But I am sick. I'm trying to wash it the best I can. You know, I understand you try to work washing the present camp or you're gonna use that set. You understand? You take a chance, you're running. Most of us run around trying to find

00:08:41.400 - 00:08:54.900

a new city. I pay you later, but if you can't and you're hurting and you're throwing up, your bowels are busting and all kinds of you don't think about certain. It's not like people choose to live in shit like this. It's not like people choose to

00:08:54.900 - 00:09:10.900

walk away from certain things happen. You have people out there that would really like to be able to turn their world, you know? And a lot of people don't know how. What's your What's your message? Why are you here? I'm here to provide information on again.

00:09:10.900 - 00:09:25.100

I go back to the issue that I always talk about is survived. This epidemic of AIDS addicts can survive, like I always say, the disease of addiction because you've been surviving for the longest. But you're not gonna survive the disease of AIDS HIV infection. You are

00:09:25.100 - 00:09:39.310

going to die. Addicts are dying six months to a year after diagnosis. Okay, so once an addict gets infected, you know the prognosis is not very good. So basically, we want to provide you with the bleach and the cooker and the continent. Yolanda, let me ask

00:09:39.310 - 00:10:12.040

you a question. Yes, it's after seven. At night. we spent all day with guys who shoot drugs into their arms, were standing, were surrounded by garbage and flies and needles needles. And this is just a normal day, just a normal day. It's normal. Yeah, Rudy Rivera

00:10:12.040 - 00:10:27.630

says she has virtually no vices, and I have never used drugs. Never. I don't even smoke. I don't drink. I don't get high in any other way. But her boyfriend did. Years before she met him, he was shooting up. Did you know about his history of

00:10:27.640 - 00:10:43.600

using? I knew I knew it's more than half told me. But what you thought that was in his past, right? I never really thought that I could get eight or that he could get eight or anything like that. Just never paid the attention. Pay attention to

00:10:43.600 - 00:11:00.510

it. Rudy contracted AIDS from her boyfriend. The disease killed him last year. Now 22 year old Rudy, who came to New York from Puerto Rico hopeful of starting a new life, is facing death. I have such a great future looking forward to it. I was going

00:11:00.510 - 00:11:22.380

to school. I was majoring psychology. I was also working as a cosmetic consultant, so many dreams and I was doing so many things. And then suddenly everything stopped. Everything stopped for me. You know, it's like I'm not a happy girl anymore. It's like I am in

00:11:22.380 - 00:11:50.410

front of people. I try to laugh. I try to not to show what I feel, but it deepens. Sire. I'm heard. I'm screaming. I'm screaming that as soon as I can't even believe Howard, everything's gonna be over. Ivy drug users and their partners are largely responsible

00:11:50.410 - 00:12:12.300

for sending the AIDS rates soaring among Hispanics in New York City, Presentations on the eight sweatshops and AIDS workers have a hard time selling the idea of safe sex to this community at risk. Yeah, well, how did you get a first of all? I'll tell you

00:12:12.300 - 00:12:31.080

something. When you're with a girl, right? You're getting ready to go to bed with you. Don't think about putting on the condom, you know? Yeah, it's an attitude called machismo. Men not wanting to use a condom. Women too afraid to force the issue. Chris Jack is

00:12:31.080 - 00:12:53.310

working on a media campaign aimed at Hispanics. People are will say, Um hmm. It's not manly to use a condom. It's not manly to negotiate with my woman the, uh, ins and outs of our sexual relationship, you and my woman. And when you and I get

00:12:53.310 - 00:13:14.570

together, you do what I want done the way I want it done too far off these decisions. Killing your slow, slow, slow. You have no hope. I would have known. Honestly, this man was an I V drug user and the third person in his family to

00:13:14.570 - 00:13:33.250

contract AIDS. He continued having sex and sharing needles for months after his diagnosis. They will ask me if I seek them out. They don't Don't care. This lady that I met, I want to use tunneling and she didn't want it. She's blind. You had AIDS, right?

00:13:33.640 - 00:13:49.930

No. They don't know that. They don't ask me. And you don't think it's your responsibility to tell them you didn't think you didn't think it was your responsibility to tell? Mm. No, but I want to use a condom. Well, they asked me. They said, Don't worry

00:13:49.930 - 00:14:08.490

about if you if you're sick enough. No, because I know one day I'm going to die. That's what he says. Little good. Now that okay, simple as that. It may be more case of not knowing than of not caring. Like Rudy, whose only vice was ignorance.

00:14:10.040 - 00:14:34.440

I was dreaming to probably to marry, to have Children, to teaching so many beautiful things, like my parents did and all that. It's over. It's over. I guess I'm living in fear. I'm leaving in a few hours. What is going to happen? I'm just waiting for

00:14:34.440 - 00:15:07.860

that moment. Discourage me. I'm so scared. I'm so scared. Mhm. Mhm. Recent is about 37 weeks pregnant with Russian membrane to get at whether she's got an underlying immunodeficiency states also crackers with a diagnosis of viral guest. I wasn't I v drug user for about seven

00:15:07.860 - 00:15:27.690

years. Correct? Two years ago. She is HIV positive. She's HIV positive. Yeah, I'll tell you, what hurts me most is why it took AIDS to make people family focus on this population. I mean, as I said, I've been taking care of this population all of my

00:15:27.690 - 00:15:49.550

career. So how you doing with this population means pregnant women with special health problems. You can breastfeed. Yeah. You can breastfeed with method ice, usually drug users. Did you breast feed your other babies? No. Oh, so this will be a new experience. Dr. Janet Mitchell was

00:15:49.550 - 00:16:05.020

caring for them long before the AIDS outbreak. Women whose way of life was risky, she says, and now the kind of women most likely to be infected with the AIDS virus. Let's see how much this kid has grown. Women who use Ivy drugs or have sex

00:16:05.020 - 00:16:23.380

with men who do it takes a toll. I mean, most of us went into Oh, because it was a happy specialty. And, you know, you got pretty babies and healthy mothers and everybody loves you and everybody went home and and everybody lived happily ever after. And

00:16:24.640 - 00:16:43.230

and this population, not everybody lives happily ever after was a charge. Just get me the Chart. Harlem Hospital. She was having respiratory. Did she get section the Friday before our 48 hours began? And then she got respiratory problems. She's HIV positive. Where did she get tested?

00:16:43.240 - 00:17:00.050

A crisis on the ward, an AIDS infected woman has become very sick. Well, at least you had a normal delivery soon after giving birth. There's a theory that pregnancy can accelerate the course of the disease, but even doctors are still learning about AIDS every day Because

00:17:00.050 - 00:17:18.490

one of the things that we found that you're a new resident. Yes. You playing new residence. We lose lots of ladies around here. I'm gonna lose, Right? Right. So we're trying to push medicine to be much more aggressive with our ladies. Um, even without the tests,

00:17:19.040 - 00:17:38.270

if you've got any indication at all, just go for it, Okay? Yeah. This is called once a week. Mitchell sees patients at a prenatal clinic for women with drug problems. Basically, the medical problems on is as overwhelming as the psychosocial problems. I have women who are

00:17:38.270 - 00:17:57.670

in shelters, and the hardest thing is getting them to bond to use it as they come back. Okay? They're accustomed to people not liking them, not treating them nice and being judgmental of them. So I have to gain their trust. Uh, and that sometimes a tug

00:17:57.670 - 00:18:20.610

of war. My whole career has been in improving the pregnancy outcomes of pregnant, addicted women, so I had no choice but to get into AIDS. You're seeing people who are pregnant and there suffering some form of addiction. Yeah, and you don't know whether or not they

00:18:20.610 - 00:18:39.210

have AIDS or whether they're HIV positive or not, do you? It doesn't matter to me. They're all at risk at risk for being infected because of their lifestyle. By the time they've come here, most women are beyond the point in their pregnancies when abortion might even

00:18:39.210 - 00:18:59.960

be considered. This is where AIDS becomes a real fear. No longer a vague concern. If a woman is infected, odds are about 50. 50 her baby will be to This woman knows that her AIDS test result was negative. I think everybody worries about it. But then

00:18:59.960 - 00:19:15.570

what can you do? Can't do nothing about it. But they say you can control. You can control the exposure. Yeah, right, right. That's what I'm saying. Once you know that you're safe, you just try to stay like that. Did you think about getting a test before

00:19:15.570 - 00:19:30.040

you got pregnant? Not really. Because before I got pregnant, I was I wasn't intending to serve you. You'll use it. But now I was snoring folk. I wasn't really into, you know, I didn't think I was gonna be my plane. And I didn't prepare for my

00:19:30.040 - 00:19:51.130

pregnancy. You know, I really didn't think about none of this. Do you do anything in the way of prevention. You do have to talk about sexual issues and drug use and what you do to protect yourself and what you do to protect your partner, um, and

00:19:51.130 - 00:20:09.110

that also maybe the hardest thing that we have to do the hardest, because sexual issues on something that we're comfortable in discussing. What have we learned something from it in terms of what you have to do in terms of in terms of sex or in terms

00:20:09.110 - 00:20:32.010

of other practices that is going to affect you? It's hard after the baby boy. It's going to be on my mom, but I know what I'm tell me. Stick to one person Uncomfortable to talk about but no laughing matter. For women aged 29 to 34 in

00:20:32.010 - 00:20:50.990

New York City, AIDS is now the leading cause of death. Mhm. Okay, my women are dying, my women are getting sick, and I'm having to tell women that they're going to get sick, and I'm having to tell women that they're gonna die, and then I'm having

00:20:50.990 - 00:21:11.900

to have to deal with their dealing with their own death and the death of their child, and that is no easy task. Mhm. In San Francisco, a quilt grows. Yep, grows with the number of people dead from AIDS. It's made up of patches sewn by friends

00:21:11.900 - 00:21:29.620

of AIDS victims to commemorate their lives. Almost all of these victims were gay. These are made by people who knew those who have been killed, and they reflect the personalities and the lives of these people. It's a very it's an intensely personal thing. I think I

00:21:29.620 - 00:21:46.020

was just kind of sewing, and now I'm kind of realizing that every piece I handle as someone who's died homosexuals were the first group in the United States to be identified with the disease. They are still the largest group, but education and health efforts have worked

00:21:46.030 - 00:22:05.270

to slow the spread of AIDS among gay men. But the AIDS epidemic across the country isn't slowing down. Consider every 14 minutes. A new case of AIDS is reported. In our 48 hours, there will be 210 more people with age and 135 deaths because of age

00:22:05.940 - 00:22:42.320

while gays try to patch up their lives, AIDS and drugs intertwined into a deadly pack. Around here, as far as friends I have friends, but very few meet Ned. Eight years after he began shooting up. He's got AIDS. Ned, when did you realize that you indeed

00:22:42.330 - 00:23:09.870

had AIDS? Um, it was last year of April. Last year. I started getting this unexplainable rash on my face, all right, and that pushed me to take the test. The first thought that went through my mind was that you know, I'm gonna die. I said, I'm

00:23:09.870 - 00:23:27.150

through. I looked at the person across the table who told me I was positive and I was just devastated. I said, So what am I supposed to do, right? This is what I told, he says. Well, you have to take your life in your hands. Net

00:23:27.150 - 00:23:44.890

is now taking a Z T for his aides, but the prescription years ago should have been a word of advice. Don't share needles. While it's too late for Ned, it's not too late for others. One idea. Dispense the advice. Along with methadone, this New York methadone

00:23:44.890 - 00:24:03.240

clinic treats intravenous drug users during busy times. About 100 people come through here, experts say. Of those 100 people, 85 of them will die because of AIDS. I have it already. I've had it for a long time. And many only guess how they got the AIDS

00:24:03.240 - 00:24:22.340

virus. Well, for the fact that I was bitten by a dog named Lady and Leg the dog and the Braves that aids the real story. He got it from his i V drug use. Make sure you use a condom. Don't share any needles. Don't share any

00:24:22.340 - 00:24:40.650

syringes. Doctor Benny Prim runs one of the few clinics that combines AIDS education with methadone treatment. They have the time cleaned out and said it was drawn, withdrawn up. The cotton knew it was clean. And there was blood in there and I didn't give a damn

00:24:40.660 - 00:24:56.240

whose blood it was. I've gotten on. So that's impossible to say that you're gonna wash it out if your your attic is an adequate What? Would you do that today? I don't You know, I doubt it. No, you doubt it. The infectivity right here in New

00:24:56.240 - 00:25:14.560

York City is very high among intravenous drug using populations. We can keep it low in other parts of the country, do education, uh, through prevention efforts through constant blitzkrieg type information. I know a lot of people who are who are still using drugs intravenously. C Like

00:25:14.560 - 00:25:28.470

you said, get off with my man, You know? And he does everything. There are definitely going to die if they continue to do what they do. Yeah, I used the drugs there. I use the drug 10 years. Maybe a little bit more. They need some kind

00:25:28.470 - 00:26:00.210

of a help. What about sex? Ask you questions. About about sex. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. Stop. Yeah. These days, Today, with the AIDS and all the other things that are going around our condoms 100% safe because you're getting this is a virus, right? Okay. Let's talk about

00:26:00.210 - 00:26:16.670

condoms for a minute. You know, the lambskin condoms, they're not safe. Those are the best ones. And you know that Cost the most money and they're thin. I heard that. Those were the best. They are not. They are not. Let me tell you why. Because they

00:26:16.670 - 00:26:46.910

are porous and the virus will pass through that kind. Let me see. What about these? Good. Yeah, Yeah, yeah. Mhm. Thanks. This is No, no, no. Yeah, that's fun. This is This is this is this is the kind that you should use. This is a latex

00:26:46.910 - 00:27:03.810

condom. And not only that, this one has a little bit of a spermicide, and it also which also will maybe kill the virus. Dr. Primm says his clinic shows that drug treatment centers with their hundreds of potential AIDS victims already coming in every week, can become

00:27:03.810 - 00:27:29.940

effective. AIDS prevention centres to this problem is a health problem, and provision should be made to treat this problem as a health problem and not as a criminal problem. There ought to be continued primary care ongoing in drug treatment clinics. Buy a paper news being on

00:27:29.940 - 00:27:47.080

my work. Yeah, yeah. I haven't been really a good Christian like, you know what I mean? I haven't been, but that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to hold on to the Lord because that's all I got left now, only me. It was just my

00:27:47.080 - 00:28:04.800

stupidity. My, I want to do what I want to do And don't listen to anybody else. Don't even listen to reason. I came down looking for How would you know? Cocaine. And they gave it to me, you know, and I chose it. So now it looks

00:28:04.800 - 00:28:41.700

like I'm gonna have to pay. Okay. Oh, mhm. Oh, it's going. It's breakfast time in the pediatrics ward at Harlem Hospital. Good. You don't like it? Thank you. That's good stuff. So how are the boys? Video make a difference this morning. There are 11

00:28:41.700 - 00:28:58.500

Children who have tested positive for a fallen lymph glands have severe difficulties like a big liver of explain five here have clear cut symptoms of the disease. No matter how much you do, sometimes it doesn't help. He has a great car. That doesn't function very well

00:28:58.500 - 00:29:16.040

with this morning walking after a slice exertions out of breath. Youngest AIDS Patient is a newborn infant. Nice to see you out of bed. The oldest. A girl of sitting here. The first word we see the first two weeks watch and take their first step. I

00:29:16.040 - 00:29:39.570

mean, this is home. Gail Austin is head nurse. Uh huh. You tell him That's right. You know, we're not afraid of these Children. We all have favorites. One of the nurses had adopted one. Yeah, Yeah, yes, we're looking. We can't show you the Children's faces. But

00:29:39.570 - 00:30:00.050

this is a little girl. We'll call Monica. Go do my work anyone can tell you buy but me. It's no secret. She's the favorite of nurse Austin, who has Children and grandchildren of her own. What's your future? What's your future? I would love to take up,

00:30:00.060 - 00:30:19.860

but I just don't have the means. You know, when she gets medically cleared, she'll probably go into her agency. So we're not gonna clear about half the AIDS Kids are well enough to be cared for outside the hospital. I gotta smile. Finally, you made. But it's

00:30:19.860 - 00:30:44.850

difficult for parents to manage harder still to find foster care for AIDS babies, and the virus can act unpredictably. Mhm Putting an infant in sudden danger. Is it different from caring for other very sick babies? Well, these kids are sicker and they have more illness, and

00:30:46.240 - 00:31:01.050

what happens is like Now you're seeing a lot of them in there. Well, state. But there are times when they're so sick they have to go into intensive kids and it can happen suddenly. Yeah, that's Mama. You have a fever. Pediatrician Elaine Abrams. You're making a

00:31:01.060 - 00:31:16.610

commitment to take a child who may die and it takes a very special kind of person, is willing to do things should go across to the other room and see the other babies. Most pediatric AIDS patients will die before age two or three. Look at the

00:31:16.620 - 00:31:39.100

baby crying. Why is the baby crying? Should I take this down? What? Yeah, was just We had a nice little baby. I expect to see more and more cases. I expect the curve to go up, perhaps doubling every year, even more than doubling every year. In

00:31:39.100 - 00:32:04.760

terms of the kids we're seeing experience. It's just past three. In the afternoon. Monica has a sudden fever. Is 105 12 and 11 today. She had one or two? Uh huh. Yeah, the foot is healing. I don't think it's from here. I think it's all this

00:32:04.760 - 00:32:22.570

cold that she has. Okay, What did you feel A threat to look, ID. And this isn't gonna be easy. No. Oh, you want me to put up an I v Another child? You might wait and watch. See what the blood work tells you. You have a

00:32:22.570 - 00:32:39.760

little time, but if she has a bacterial infection in her blood, it could kill her. The plan is to put Monica on intravenous medication immediately and draw samples of blood and spinal fluid for testing. She's in a lot of distresses. Mhm. That's just how they go,

00:32:39.770 - 00:32:57.580

Let me know. But you think they will. I think you're the only one that seems that can keep her from crying constantly. That's why I said, I don't like to be here when they're sticking her, because when they're finished, they like it comfortable. She this room

00:32:57.580 - 00:33:28.770

because Gail Austin's workday is scheduled to end in 10 minutes. Oh, very good. Very good. Yes, I love you told me before that the psychiatrists told you all. Be wary of getting too close to the kids with AIDS of getting too close emotionally. What I saw

00:33:29.340 - 00:33:50.830

between you and that little girl, that's a bond. What's gonna happen with that kind of a bond? This kind of a baby, and I like to think about it. I always think positive that she'll she'll do well even when she gets sick. I know she's going

00:33:50.830 - 00:34:12.690

to get sick, but I always feel Shell. She'll get better. It's half past five. Monica is moved into intensive care going now. Yeah, Nurse Austin has agreed to stay on for a double shift. Put me out again. You know, they always put me out another eight

00:34:12.700 - 00:34:30.480

hours. We don't fool ourselves. We tell that the end does come for too many of them. And maybe that's why we try to give them so much. In the short time they have here. They grow with love and they give back love. We'll know more about

00:34:30.480 - 00:35:02.450

Monica before 48 hours are up. This summer, the president's Commission on AIDS took note of the rising problems presented by I v. Drug use, recognized the growing effect on heterosexuals and urged immediate action to slow the spread of the disease. But the American public, which must

00:35:02.450 - 00:35:16.670

pick up the tab for many AIDS patients, is turning a cold shoulder to I v drug users with AIDS. In a recent CBS News New York Times poll, three quarters of those who responded said they are sympathetic to AIDS victims as a group. But when we

00:35:16.670 - 00:35:51.900

asked about drug users with AIDS, sympathy dropped dramatically. According to our poll, three out of four Americans do not care about them. Oh, the drums you hear are beating out a warning. Okay, Strangers in the neighborhood the strangers. The camera crew from 48 hours, a neighborhood

00:35:51.900 - 00:36:16.520

of crack houses where cocaine is smoked. The people here don't want you to see these pictures or hear about their business. What went on here last night? Look at the crack vials, the pipe, the lighters, the needles. But it's more than crack being served up in

00:36:16.520 - 00:36:38.970

these abandoned buildings Today. It's AIDS. Cocaine has always been known as the sex drug, and I think the smoke form really stimulates people's sex drives. Jean Tomlinson works in drug treatment centers. He's on the front line and is seeing what may be a new avenue for

00:36:38.980 - 00:36:54.800

AIDS. Addicts are having sex now here. Before they were not, they were only spreading the virus through shared needles. But addicts are now become sexually active. They are prostituting. They're having sex as a result of crack. What about turning tricks that also? Yes, Please sit down

00:36:54.810 - 00:37:12.550

jobs and whatever. Wait a minute. Don't give me. Don't give me too much publicity. Okay? Orgies that go on all night sex. Not for money, but for drugs in the corners and stairwells. Pictures we cannot possibly show. The women turn tricks and crack houses for the

00:37:12.560 - 00:37:31.450

drugs. Oh, yeah, Just for a bottle. They'll turn the trick even for a hit. Woman's ain't the same. Some of them just like a pull off a cigarette. The women who live in crack houses were not using their real names Will tell you how it happens.

00:37:31.930 - 00:37:48.700

Deborah was a teenager when she first traded her body for drugs. What kinds of things go on in a crack house? All kinds of things. What was it like for you? Crazy? Explain it. Well, after I did it, I mean, I regretted it because it was

00:37:48.700 - 00:38:10.450

not worth it. What exactly did you do? Hello. Sexual right form socialite. Exactly. But after that one was another 11 thing and another 11 different men. Yeah, different months. Did you know them? No. Were you afraid about getting AIDS? Any of them used condoms? I was

00:38:10.450 - 00:38:22.050

just in a condom. They didn't want it to. A lot of guys don't want to use condoms. And what do you do then? What do you do? Check if he's not sick or anything. He asked me if I am sick. I make sure that I'm not

00:38:22.050 - 00:38:39.530

sick. I say I'm not sick, are you? You know, like that. And then you'll do it without it. Yes. Education hasn't gotten to the crack house yet. Sarah is working with misinformation. But you're in a crack house and somebody wants something You never saw him before

00:38:39.530 - 00:38:57.410

in your life. How do you know? I could tell by the way he looks and I have clean and everything you can tell. Yeah. What? I could tell that I look at the eyes of the yellow. I look back clean. He looks close kinds of things

00:38:57.410 - 00:39:18.720

like that. You know, some doctors can't look at people and tell doctor could look people and doctors, doctors can't look at people and tell, but I don't know. And just my idea. I really want to change. But I don't know what keeps me from Belinda is

00:39:18.720 - 00:39:35.280

a veteran of the streets, a crack addict for four years. She's 18 hard, so I and I'm in the streets. You know, I want to go just properly. That's what I say this because he's sleeping availabilities or I break night all night. I'm never gonna make

00:39:35.280 - 00:39:53.460

it to a program. So, you know, it's not all that easy. I'm ashamed of it, you know, and I have a family that cares for me. But now we look beyond today in this moment and we look and we remember the friends of ours that we've

00:39:53.460 - 00:40:12.030

seen, you know, deteriorate each and every day that life is just being drawn from the bit by bit. You know, where they actually look like walking skeletons, you know, and it it hurts. And it scares you at the same time, because you can be that individual,

00:40:12.510 - 00:40:33.620

you know, in a matter of months. No. Hi. What I've seen is a number of people men and women with no other risk factors are they are coming in and they're testing positive because of sexual relationships with prostitutes and crack houses. And this is a new

00:40:33.620 - 00:40:55.240

wave. The numbers are getting higher. It's something that I think the experts in a field is going to have to deal with is a new route of transmission. Mhm. The warning is going out. There is a stranger in the neighborhood crack house, and that stranger is

00:40:55.240 - 00:41:26.870

AIDS. Come on over. Yeah. Yeah. You know, these are bleached kids that we're giving. All right, So that When you when you use the works, you gotta clean them before you use them. All right? Jon Robles has a lot of

00:41:26.870 - 00:41:42.950

enthusiasm. A lot of heart. He doesn't have a lot of time. Hi. How are you, brother? We're just passing out literature giving out information about AIDS and how it can be effective. Under no circumstance should you share the needles or use anybody else's needle. Jon Robles

00:41:42.950 - 00:41:57.800

is one of the foot soldiers in the fight against AIDS. In this battle is a very personal one. Well, I used to share needles, but it wasn't an AIDS epidemic. You used to share needles? Sure. I v Drug user. You've taken the AIDS test? Sure. And

00:41:57.970 - 00:42:19.730

I'm positive you have a You know, I have HIV positive. You have the antibody. The antibody. How long did you have you known that since 1987. Obviously you worry about that every day. Is that why you're out here? That's one of the reasons we're out here.

00:42:20.100 - 00:42:35.880

You cannot share the needles with anybody if you have to get off. You cannot use anybody else's works. You have to use your always even if you use your always older. I'm 42 years old. 42. You've been a drug user a long time. I've been a

00:42:35.890 - 00:42:50.080

drug user. I've used heroin since 1970. Back from Vietnam. You've never used it before? No, Never Before you come out. When did you get When did you get back from Vietnam? In 1970. So in the same year, you came back the same day I went to

00:42:50.080 - 00:43:07.280

Vietnam. I came home January the 10th, And that same day I got turned on to heroin and I He was married and he has kids. But now he lives in these projects in Brooklyn with his parents. You've been clean since since 86 1986. You're out there

00:43:07.280 - 00:43:21.150

every day with drug addicts. Do you ever do you ever say Look, I've got the virus. What the heck? I don't say that anymore. You know what I mean? Yeah, of course I have the value. So we might as well go out there and shoot drugs.

00:43:21.180 - 00:43:34.960

I'm gonna die anyway. I don't think that way anymore. I did think that way. Listen, I've been to so much detox so many times now I have this virus. I'm gonna die anyway, so I'm gonna swell. Hurry up and get it over with. Yeah, when you

00:43:34.960 - 00:43:51.320

first find out about it, you do think like that. But sticking it out, I made a decision that I said, You know what? I'll try it one more time. I'll battle it out. I'll fight one more time. His mother, afraid of the AIDS virus because he

00:43:51.330 - 00:44:10.690

to Latina mean, uh zero to have, you know? No, she says no, that she confides in God that's up there and that she's not afraid of it and that she knows that it's something that could happen to anybody. And she knows that I'm battling and we

00:44:10.690 - 00:44:33.050

constantly battling. She understands she looks so sad. Well, because we're talking about a heavy topic. She's like I said, I'm not in the streets running anymore, So that gives a piece of line. And even though I have virus, yes, let's take a break. You can call

00:44:33.050 - 00:44:48.840

us at this number, and we will do everything in our power to get you into a therapeutic community, a methadone program or detox. You ever think when you're out there that you're talking to people just like you were once. Sure, all the time, all the time,

00:44:48.840 - 00:45:03.480

but I I can say the same. By the grace of God, There go. I'm sure all the time you know what it is is we always keep postponing. I'll do this next year. So with the epidemic of the virus, it has making an impact where you

00:45:03.480 - 00:45:20.430

say I can't postpone this the next year anymore. I have to start doing it now. You've got one of these rooms. Jonrowe Bliss, 42 looks healthy and says he feels fine. He's still got enthusiasm. Still got hard still got the AIDS virus. How you doing, fellas?

00:45:20.670 - 00:46:01.550

We're just giving out information about AIDS. Okay. If somebody needs women sufficient colors come on by 20 hours after Monica's crisis. Where you going? Goodbye, tree. Where she go? Her fever broke overnight and lab tests showed no new infection. Oh, yeah, She really frightens me, you

00:46:01.550 - 00:46:27.030

know, because she just got just like that. We've seen her sick before, but not just like that. Just changed. Just like that, they're always potentially to get ill. That's the bottom line. They're never Well, we may see them as well Children, but they never sure it's

00:46:27.030 - 00:46:43.120

estimated that at least one million Americans are infected with the AIDS virus Today. Experts say that some 600,000 of those will die of AIDS. Parents who worry about their Children using drugs now have a new concern. One wrong turn on the road to the crack house

00:46:43.120 - 00:46:52.920

or the shooting gallery can put you in a valley and there's no way out. I'm Dan Rather until next week. That's 48 hours.