Memory persistence with apache question

Hello, I administer a linux 2.4.19/apache 1.3.26/php 4.1.2 server in an ISP. Recently some clients started using a gallery php script: http://gallery.sf.net that causes excessive memory utilization on the server: http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=498028&group_id=7130&atid=107130 So here goes the question: In what situations will memory allocated to a script remain with the apache process after the script has terminated ? I always thought that memory allocated would be released on script termination - Am I wrong in this assumption ? Could it be that the heap in the apache process stays at the maximally used level ? Thanks for any pointers or how I should approach resolving this problem. (I am already using 'MaxRequestsPerChild 5' in apache as a stopgap measure) Mike