Upgrading to current libc6 fails, please help

[Eythan Weg <weg@gauss.wintek.com>]

Hi, 

I have tried to seek a clue on the debian-user list, 
without success. 

I am running this unstable system
Linux gauss 2.4.18 #1 Mon Mar 18 15:17:05 EST 2002 i586 unknown

On attempting to upgrade from libc6_2.3.1-3  to libc6_2.3.1-16 
using apt I get this strange error.

   Sorry, but the following packages have unmet dependencies:
     iamerican:  libsigc++0: Conflicts: libsigc++5 but it is not installable
     nfs-common:E: Sorry, broken packages

Why the newer libc6 requires, what seem like, other upgrades?  

What are the risks, if any, of installing the new libc6 using dpkg
directly?

Thank You.  eythan.