\O`- rreen nostapue, ~Approvle~For Releol 20 /08/ft: CIA-R 1jeScribe as ."Very Hungry' Doctor Says Anger, Humor 'Kept Polhill's Mind ShaT By Marc Fisher Washington Post Foreign Service WIESBADEN, West Germany, April 24-Freed hos- tage Robert Polhill lost 25 pounds and much of his mus- cle mass during his 39 months of confinement in Leb- anon, but stayed sharp by maintaining his sense of hu mor and his anger at his captors, an Air Force doctor said today. Polhill continued to eat ravenously on his second day away from the Shiite hostage takers who had fed him irregularly and poorly. He is eating four meals a day and has made special requests for spare ribs, as well as for a pair of decent shoes. "For a man who is 55, he looks a good deal older," staid Col. Kenneth Koskinen, the Air Force surgeon who has been treating Polhill. "The man is just malnourished And very hungry. He's essentially emptying our kitch- en. - Koskinen said Polhill 'has significant muscle wast- ing," a result of having been kept from most exercise for such Polhill a long time, is joined but is in by sons good spirits. Brian, "He was 19, very left, and Steven, 22. --angry and is still angry. He said it was very difficult to channel that was going anger." to be - Despite speaking the uncertainty with of his situation, when his complete he was told Sunday isolation that from the he would outside have world and a phone persistently conversation un- with the pres- comfortable ident conditions, of the Polhill United never thought States. he would -.66 killed, Polhill U.S. officials is said here said. to be deeply concemed about the future In the past of his three years, fellow Polhill hostages, and his especially'Alann fellow hos- Steen and Jesse Turner the Beirut University Col7egeinstructor; ME I tages were , given reading Min-gheld matter only with rarely (he whom once he shared a room for most of his got a copy , of the British magazine the Economist). captivity. They had nothing with which to divert themselves oth- In his er than each initial other's conversations company with and playing U.S. cards sup- officials, Polhill plied by has said their captors. that although he and his fellow captives were 'Today, Polhill moved spent several frequently hours with from State Depart- one location to another, they were ment debriefers, always who were kept eager to together find out in windowless about his rooms under fellow hostages constant and about guard. the conditions They in which never he knew whether it was day or was kept. night. He also spent private time with his wife and two sons, U.S. who arrived officials this morning here from the said United that Polhill, Steen and Turner States. were almost certainly kept in various places in Beirut, Although possibly Polhill in a seems clear building and levelheaded with now- other hostages. But officials -surprisingly could so, doctors not say-it is say still far which too early other to hostages were involved, nor know if he even will suffer if they from the were post-stress Americans. syndrome of depression Neither and fatigue Polhill that has nor affected officials many former here have come up with hostages. any explanation Many effects of why of a long his period of captors, confinement the Islamic Jihad for take "several the Liberation years" to of Palestine, emerge, chose Koskinen Polhill said. to set free at The former this accountant, time. who was a business profes- sor at Beirut U.S. University officials College here when he said and three that oth- although Polhill has co- er instructors operated were kidnapped with in January State 1987 by Department pro- debriefers, he has Palestinian measured terrorists his posing as wfllingness campus police, to talk will heal against his fear that physically uite quickly, giving q doctors away say. "In details three could months, harm his friends in captivity. you probabl y won't "He is recognize very him," aware Koskinen that said. if he says something negative, Polhill, it could who came have out of captivity a negative knowing impact" nothing on Steen and Tumer, about events Koskinen of the past said. three years, has peppered the 'hospital That staff with is also questions. one He wanted reason to know why who Polhill has not spoken to won the World reporters Series and here. Super Bowl Polhill, over the who last few is still speaking in the low, ,,yeaksjie th1ArJ6Wa~V"b.9QW " A h~W tq be g n~ plans to stay in told t g*Jy ApproNMO it-Qrs KOMOVOW