Fish Epidemic 1919

POISON KILLING MANY FISH AT MAXINKUCKEE

Wm. Obenchain the-carpenter-confractor, bas recently from a trip to Lake Marinkuckee and reports that late Maxinkuckee seems destined to be utterly. depopulated of game fish owing to the mysterious disease or potsoning which has attacked the fish.

He states that the shores of the lake are littered with tend bass and salmon and other game fish, the-German carp and other soft fish not secming to be affected.

The cause of the death. of the fish still remains a mystery.

State fish and, game authorities here been investigating the matter, but have not arrived at any conclusion, it is said.

Whether it is poison that has been injected into the water from come subterrancan disturbance, a disease traced to local causes or what the cause is not ascertained.

What seems to be very apparent, however, practically is that tishing at the lake is destroyed, according to the report. Fishermen are afraid to use the whon caught because of tbe infection from which the finny tribe is suffering.

The same fatal malady is said to have attacked the ash of this popular fishing ground about thirty years ago. -- Pharos-Tribune May 27, 1919

Water Mold kills fish.

It has been determined by the state officials who have examinded the water of Lake Maxinkuckee, that water mold has caused the death of the many fish that have been discovered on the lake. this mold is known to have killed many fish in the lakes of the state, but the epidemic that is visiting Lake Maxinkuckee this time is the worst ever known. aithorities state that fish taken out of the lake may be eaten without any ill res ults.

Wednesday, - Logansport, Indiana -- Logansport Pharos-Reporter May 28 1919

EPIDEMIC KILLING FISH IN LAKE MAXINKUCKEE

EXPERTS FIND WATER-MOLD IS DESTROYING THOUSANDS.

HUMAN BEINGS NOT MENACED

Dr. J. N. Hurty, state health commissioner, has advised residents at Culver and along the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee that previous experience with the epidemic which now in scourging fish in the lake gives assurance that the epidemic probably not be transmitted to human beings.

Hurty, said no that even if fish in the lake eaten dangerous results likely would follow. He said that Will Scott, of Indiana University, and Howard T. Enders, of Purdue University, have determined that the fish are afflicted with water-mold, a fungus growth more or less prevalent in Hoosier lakes, but just now unusually prevalent in Lake Maxinkuckee.

Both the state health commissionor and the state conservation commission advise that the dead fish be gathered and destroyed by burning.

George Berg, fish expert for the conservation commission, said that the commission can do little to prevent the spread of the egidemie to other lakes, if such spread appeared probable. He said that the fish and game division of the commission will atake off greater areas in Lake Maxinkuckee where fishing will be prohibited. He said that greater supplies of young stock also will be sent to the lake than has been the practice in the past.

The epidemio at Lake Maxinkuckee In aaid to be destroying thousands of fish and sportamen and summer viaItors are alarmed over the situation. -- Indianapolis News May 27, 1919

'FLU' KILLS FISH IN MAXINKUCKEE

Disease Caused by Fungous Growth Does Great Damage in Lake.

NEW TO UNITED STATES

Representatives of Zoology Departments of Purdue and Indiana Make Extensive Report.

Richard Lieber, director of the state department of conservation, yesterday made public the report of representatives of the zoology departments of Indiana and Purdue Universities, regarding the epidemic of water mold that is killing thousands of fish in Lake Maxinkuckee.

The disease seems to be a sort of a "fish flu' caused by a fungous growth, known to scientists as saprolegnia, that attaches itself to the fish and results in their death. The water mold has been common in European lakes and, streams for centuries, and some the greatest scientists have made a study of it, but have been unable to explain how it comes or how to combat it, the report says.

Dr. J. N. Hurty, secretary of the state board of health, was informed of the results of the investigation. Dr. Hurty said that while the water mold is not uncommon, especially in the waters of the old world, there is no record that it has ever lived on human beings. While the water mold is fatal to fish it is in no way harmful to humans, he said.

Since March, when the ice melted on Lake Mackinkuckee, large numbers of dead fish have been washed to the shores, Mr. Lieber said. The fish and game division at first worked upon the theory that the fish had been killed by dynamite or by impurities emptied into the lake.

Sick Fish Carried Mold.

The scientific investigation of the conditions at the lake was made by Will Scott of the zoology department of Indiana University and by Howard E. Enders, professor of zoology at Purdue University.

In the report submitted to the state department of conservation photographs are included showing scores of fish washed to the shore. In one picture showing a small section of the beach are 185 dead fish, including blue gills, bass, perch, goggle-eye, crappie and mud puppies. Patches of water mold were attached to the specimens observed by the investigators and sick fish taken from the lake were found to have water mold attached to them.

In submitting the report, Mr. Scott and said: "The water molds (Saprolegnia Achlya) have caused trouble occasionally in the ponds and small lakes of Germany. In 1877 a great epidemic broke out in the rivers and lakes of lasted England and Scotland. This epidemic lasted until 1882. No good method seems to have been discovered for combating considerable it, although Huxley devoted considerable time to its study, I am told that there were many "water dogs" killed by water mold in Lake Erie last summer.

"What I fear is, that we may be on the eve of such an epidemic as England had. I feel that a lookout should be kept for it on as many lakes as possible. If there is any evidence that It 16 spreading radical treatment should be attempted".

Plan to Restock Lake.

In the report it is related that a frontage of about 200 feet along the north shore of Lake Maxinkuckee yielded four wheelbarrow loads of dead fish which were gathered and buried.

In the findings of the scientists it is related that the water of the lake was clear and that it was free from deleterious organic matter and that there was no evidence of dynamiting.

As one of the means of overcoming epidemic and restocking the lake with fish it is recommended that all the sick and dead fish be removed and buried.

The fish and game division has already staked off breeding grounds in the lake and posted them with signs to prohibit fishing until July 1 in order to assist in restocking the lake.

In concluding the report says millions of minnows were observed in the lake and that there was reason to belleve that there would be a speedy recovery from the epidemic as far as Lake MaxInkuckee was concerned. -- Indianapolis Star May 27, 1919

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