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Re: Cat and other (feces) in the garden

>Hi Don,
>
>I agreed with this point of view until I went to the Philadelphia Flower
>show and stopped into listen to a speaker from Organic Gardening (Jeff
>something??  I guess he's pretty well known).  He said no carnivore feces
>in the garden (any garden) because of the danger of worms to humans.

Did he say what types worms?  Herbivores can also carry a significant
parasite load, including, but not limited to amoeba, hookworms and
tapeworms.  With the exception of toxoplasmosis in cats and of course,
fleas from almost any animal with fur, I am not familiar with any serious
parasites COMMONLY transmitted from cat and dogs

>pointed out that dogs and cats have "naked" pads on their feet (as
>opposed to the hoofed animals) and that they were susceptible to
>worms/diseases that could be transferable to humans.

Such as?????

> He said don't even compost them.

I wonder why not?

 He did however, advocate composted human excrement (from
>our country - not others) because our diet has become so sterile that
>there is little danger of disease spreading between us.

I'm a bit skeptical on this point, although here in Milwaukee, the sewarage
district has been producing a product for the past 40 years called
Milorganite, which it the dried residue left over from the fermented sludge
from the waste treatment plant.  It is used primarily as a lawn fertilizer
>
>Got any way to check this out?
>
My information comes from several sources I checked out from the library of
the Medical College of Wisconsin.  However, I must emphasize that I am not
a parasitologist by training and it would be erroneous of me to state that
there was absolutely no risk from using carnivore feces in the garden.  I
just don't see where the risk is greater than that of herbivore feces plus
the naturally occurring feces of rats and mice.  Apparently the hantaviris
found in rodent feces is a problem confined to the southwest.

I realize, Kathleen that you were simply passing on the information that
you had heard, and it's not my intention here to question you, personally.
Since I do medical research as my vocation, I tend to require a bit more
solid data on certain points, particularly when they concern medicine and
biology.   I certainly try to refrain from telling a person that they are
completely wrong (which generally isn't the case any way) but just try to
obtain some specific data about the problem in question.

So now I'll step off my little soap box.  Thanks for replying and for listening.

Don Martinson
dmartin@cdmas.crc.fmlh.edu

"Existing order thrives upon ignorance and lies.
Objective truth and individual reason are feared above all."
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