Of particular interest to "bacteriologists are Pullar' s conclusions 
regarding the identity of the organism causing the Australian sickness. 
This he; found to he C lostrid ium parabotulinum ( Seddon) , which, as inter- 
preted "by American research workers in this field, is considered to he 
simply a closely related variant of the organism responsible for outbreaks 
among wild ducks on this continent, C. botu linum type C 
Although Pullar states that the Australian disease does not always 
appear to he associated with alkaline waters, he apparently had in mind 
waters of a high saline content, since he f ound that the water of the Hume 
Reservoir possessed an alkaline pH of 7.6, while those at other points of 
infection were even brackish. As nointed out hy the American workers (l), 
moderate alkalinity appears to he highly favorable, perhaps a prerequisite, 
for the well-heirg of the causative organism, while excessive alkalinity or 
high concentrations of salines may destroy the toxin or inhibit growth of 
the bacterium. 
SAFEGUARDS FOB. THE FUTURE 
With events in Australia paralleling somewhat the. course of early 
ones in North America, certain questions arise concerning the possible 
future course of "botulism among waterfowl. Are added extensions of the 
range of this malady to he expected not only in North America and possihly 
South America, hut also in Australia? Is this to become a world-wide plague 
and a threat to wild fowl wherever they are unable to find wholesome living 
conditions? Is the organism itself undergoing a "period of ascendancy," or 
ar© man-made conditions working to its advantage? In the United States 
many workers believe that man-made conditions have had much to do with the 
course of events in the West during the past two decades and that a restor- 
ation of wholesome, adequate, and stable water supplies will go far toward 
remedying the deplorable condition. 
Tims the engineer often must he called upon to stand shoulder to 
shoulder with the naturalist and conservationist if future catastrophes, 
which will destroy added thousands of western wild fowl, are to he pre- 
vented. The preservation of these remaining birds is dependent not only 
on the creation of adequate breeding grounds (and no one questions the 
grave necessity of this) . hut the birds raised there must also be provided 
with paths, of migration reasonably free. from, an over- re earring scourge, 
that has taken a toll of millions. The two must go hand in hand. Unless 
this can he assured, the "best efforts to restore "breeding grounds for wild 
fowl may, in some years, be largely nullified. 
With present knowledge of measures for combating the ravages of 
botulism among wild fowl and with the relatively limited means available 
for actually carrying out programs of prevention or rescue, the fact re- 
mains that for years to come many waterfowl are destined, to perish without 
the possibility of human intervention in their behalf. Despite the ex- 
tensive efforts being made to restore wholesome habitat:;,, it will he utterly 
Impossible in many areas and at many times to prevent sudden and unex- 
pected onslaughts of this sickness. Until methods and finances permit a 
more effective control of this disease than is now possible, sportsmen 
also mast realize that here is a natural and often unpreventable drain on 
wild fowl that apparently did not exist in equal intensity in earlier days. 
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