France: Mystery Malady

Is something wrong with the 73-year-old President of France? For months the health of Francois Mitterrand has been a source of quiet concern among some world leaders. In the Florida Keys last April for talks with President Bush, Mitterrand looked deathly pale, says a U.S. official, and his color since then has ranged “from gray to green, neither of which is good.” Some who do business with Mitterrand note that his once imposing intellect and presence seem dulled, apparently by fatigue. He tires easily in meetings and seems to have a short attention span; during last month’s economic summit in Houston, Mitterrand looked ill and missed about two hours of the proceedings.

Last week the French President’s office released an official communique stating that doctors had detected a mild case of low blood sugar and low blood pressure during Mitterrand’s twice-yearly checkup. But rumors persist that the full extent of Mitterrand’s mysterious malady has yet to be disclosed. According to a well-placed official, Mitterrand travels with dialysis and transfusion equipment and received one blood transfusion during his Florida visit.