Anthrax among Canadian Bison
Our recently-joined member, Dallas New, is a Canadian veterinary epidemiologist and last evening she enthralled us with her study of anthrax among bison.
Firstly, she told us something of the history of epidemiology, which began when Dr John Snow found the cause of a cholera outbreak in London.
Then she explained how bison had recovered from near-extinction in North America, and why anthrax is threatening them. All mammals are vulnerable to anthrax, but cattle and bison are particularly intolerant to it.
Anthrax spores move around, but lodge and persist in the soil. For this reason, dead bison have to be cremated rather carefully so as not to release more spores into the ground. This is quite a challenge as bison are huge and fuel has to be brought to the site by helicopter.
Dallas collected data in the Northwest Territories to find out why outbreaks of anthrax poisoning occur in bison populations.
There were three hypothetical causes: spores could be incubating, especially in hot weather and then bursting out; anthrax could be concentrating in bison ‘wallows’; or bison may always carry anthrax but sometimes have low resistance to it.
Many research projects have inconclusive results and this was one of them. It seems likely that outbreaks occur because of all three factors.
Anyway, Dallas clearly enjoyed her spell in the Canadian wilderness and earned a Master’s degree.
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
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64% Yes
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33.4% No
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2.5% Other - I'll share below
Unlock the Answer: Today’s Riddle is Trickier Than You Think!
What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
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Tawa RSA: Mighty Christmas raffle
Tawa RSA: Mighty Christmas raffle $5 per ticket. 4 major prizes, 4 minor prizes and a bonus prize. Purchase at the club or by emailing tawa.rsa@xtra.co.nz. Drawn on 13 December
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