After losing 40 percent of sight in one eye due to histoplasmosis (a disease carried by fowl droppings) I wonder how safe it is to allow the mass number of geese to congregate. You see the problem with histoplasmosis is that it becomes dormant and cannot be treated, but at any moment it may become active and leave more scar tissue in the eye causing more vision loss. Indeed, I can go blind with no warning.

Unfortunately, it attacks not only the eyes but more often the lungs. An acquaintance has just had a drain removed from his back which allowed seepage of materials between his lung and ribs (also from histoplasmosis). He had to undergo two operations to have the tube opened because of the mass that can form over the end of the drainage tube.

I wonder when I see little children playing by the lagoon, or see students sitting in the grass studying, how many of them will have problems caused by the droppings of the geese.

You can have some on your shoes and take it into your home, and perhaps little children playing in the carpet can suddenly lose their eyesight.

Perhaps we should think again about how safe these creatures are—or how dangerous they can be. The number that we have now is really a detriment to the health of anyone that walks the campus.

Yes they are cute—God’s creatures—but there is a place for them, and I don’t think it is good to allow them to multiply and congregate, and cause injury to so many. You don’t know you have this dreadful disease until it is often too late.

Next time you see little ones playing or you sit in the grass around the lagoon—THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY—PROBABILITY THAT YOU MAY GET HISTOPLASMOSIS

uth Koerner

University Libraries