August 8, 1976

Pyrolitic release experiment, soil sample experiment by Viking I spacecraft on Mars, turns up strongest indication to date of extraterrestrial life; scientists caution that test must be duplicated in 'control' experiment to effect validation; experiment detailed; companion Viking 2 craft attains Martian orbit in preparation for Sept 4 '76 landing on subpolar plain where summertime moisture might favor forms of life (M)

Amin and Kenyatta sign peace documents promising to resume normal relations, reduce war threat and restore trade links (M)

Saeb Salam, former Moslem Prime Min, crosses over to Christian qr of Beirut to meet with Phalangist Party leader Pierre Gemayel in attempt to start dialogue for ending conflict; meeting between Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian reprs postponed indefinitely at Syria's request; artillery duels rage in Beirut's south and southeast suburbs as well as in mountains to east; illus (M)

No deaths are reptd on Aug 7; Dr Jonas Salk, virologist who developed vaccine against poliomyelitis, calls Pa health officials for information and to make recommendations to Dr Jay Satz, Pa Health Dept's top virologist; Satz says Salk is as baffled by situation as he is; Pa Health Sec Dr Leonard Bachman says epidemiologists raised case total to 135, including 25 deaths, under further study of new definition under which a new case is 1 having presence of either temperature of 102 degrees and cough, or any fever and X-ray findings of pneumonia in any person who had any physical assn with Amer Legion conv in Phila July 21-24; says there continues to be no evidence of secondary spread; evidence supports contention of Bachman and Dr David Sencer, dir of US Public Health Service's Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, that disease is not contagious and that peak seems to have passed; FBI says it is not investigating outbreak; denies rumors stemming from San Francisco radio rept that FBI and CIA are investigating theft of toxic substance from Ft Detrick, Md, that might have played role in outbreak; CIA also denies Ft Detrick story; Dr Richard Cohn, toxicologist from Natl Med Services, who is consultant to Pa Health Dept, comments on efforts to pinpoint chemical cause for disease; Pa Gov Milton J Shapp says disease is 'probably not' influenza (L)

mood among participants mood among participants is 1 of celebration; central purpose of cong, as stipulated in directive by John Cardinal Krol, Abp of Phila, was to promote spiritual renewal; but in working out theme, 'Hungers of Mankind,' strong emphasis was given to such causes of suffering as hunger, disease and injustice; Abp Joseph L Bernadin, pres of US Conf of Bishops, Msgr Robert S Coll, Sister Mary Letitia Herman, Abp Jean Jadot, Vatican's delegate to US Cath community, and Bishop James Rausch, exec sec of Conf of Cath Bishops, comment; illus of Patriarch Maximos V Hakim of Syria (L)