Not very much has happened since the last newsletter. I cannot make any statement about our next meeting nor can I make any statement about our membership. I cannot act alone on these matters and there seems to be a lack of communication between myself and the executive committee. I hope that this will change and that I will not have to believe what I said about apathy in my last newsletter.
I received a letter from Dr. D.C. Taylor, Flamingo Park, Yorkshire, England. Dr. Taylor wrote that he had a very busy summer which included the death of a newborn dolphin (which he attributed to chlorine toxicity), routine collection of blood samples from their Orcinus and the partial success in treating Pseudomonas infection in dolphins with Gentamicin. Pseudomonas bacterermia was diagnosed in the two dolphins by blood cultures and intensive treatment with parenteral Gentamicin was initiated. One animal died and one survived. Dr. Taylor believes that he could have saved the first one if he would have given larger doses of the material. Apparently it is cleared very rapidly by the kidney. It cannot be given orally as it is hydrolyzed very rapidly and so is ineffective.
Doug Hammond left for the Antarctic on October 8, 1969 and will not be back until January 1, 1970. Dr. Hammond said that he would bring back some tissues from the newborn seals that are killed and I hope that he will have them analyzed for insecticides, especially DDT. It would be interesting to know how badly we have already polluted the Antarctic.
Dr. G.W. Klontz is still waiting for pickled pieces of dead or ill fish. He is anxious to be of help.
President Ridgway and I have been corresponding with the AVMA representatives in Chicago and Washington concerning the status of our organization, etc., and how best to publicize that we exist and what our objectives are.
Dr. L. Cornell wrote that his paper "Do Dolphins Drink?" is about ready for publication.
Dr. J.R. Geraci submitted the following for this newsletter:
"I have done tissue enzyme distribution studies on Phocid seals, and the data together with data on CC14 toxicity studies indicates that both SGOT and SGPT are found in highest concentration in the liver, that both rise concomitantly during acute liver damage, and that the statistical degree of correlation in SGOT paralleling SGPT during liver damage is greater than 95%. It might also be pointed out that during captivity, Harp seals undergo numerous intermittent episodes of suspected acute liver necrosis (based on spiking SGOT, SGPT) and that the cause for this condition has not yet been determined. During these episodes, the animals are clinically healthy and may or may not undergo periods of anorexia."
He would be interested in readers' comments.
This newsletter is an informal publication of the IAAAM distributed exclusively for the information of its members and is not to be reproduced, cited, reference or in anyway referred to as part of the scientific literature.
A recent article "Seal Pox" by T.M. Wilson, N.F. Cheville and L. Karstad, Bull. Wildlife Disease Assoc. 5 October, 1969 might be of interest to some of the members.
Just a reminder that when we have our next business meeting we will have to ratify the constitution, act on new members, decide on membership dues, discuss letterheads and operating expenses and also possibly elect new officers.
I have run out of news so all that remains is to hope that all of you have had a happy Thanksgiving and for me to extend to you my best wishes for the holiday season and the New Year.
W. Medway