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Fern Paschke hosted the Brownsdale Study Club on July 18. President Shelly Vogel opened the meeting with the reading of the Collect. Five members answered the roll call, “Name a food that you are reluctant to try.” Oyster stew, skunk, pickled pig’s feet, Rocky Mountain oysters and raw oysters were the responses. The secretary and treasurer’s reports were approved. 

 There was no old or new business. 

Under announcements, Aug. 2 is national night out. Yoga classes are held at the Brownsdale community building on Mondays through July from 5-6 p.m.

Therese Manggaard made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Fern.

Therese presented the main topics, “Chronic Wasting Disease.” Chronic wasting disease afflicts members of the deer family (deer, elk, moose and reindeer). CWD is a prion disease, involving misfolded proteins in the brain causing other proteins to misfold. The disease attacks the host’s central nervous system, turning brains of the afflicted essentially to mush, causing them to drool, stagger and exhibit symptoms much like a person with dementia. Prions can survive on metal surfaces. 

Another concerning aspect is that prions shed from living infected animals via their urine, feces and saliva can remain infectious in soils. These non-organic entities can also remain active in dead animals and only through techniques like carcass incineration can they be destroyed. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy has received more than $1.5 million in state money to start prepping for the possibility of CWD spreading to cows, pigs and possibly humans. Dr. Mike Osterholm, a world renowned epidemiologist heads up this center and feels this may be the next big public health challenge. 

He feels that we do not have adequate testing for deer or humans. If CWD spread to cattle or swine, it would have a dramatic effect on our agricultural industry. 

Mary Kidwiler Moritz’s blast from the past highlighted the July 2009 meeting, which was held at Fern Paschke’s home. Beryl Sprung was assigned the main topic and she chose to report on the early days of Mower County from the book “Tales of Mower County.” The outside reading was presented by Ellen Johnson who targeted the book, “Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Montgomery. 

Fern served a scrumptious chocolate cake.

Submitted by Therese Manggaard, secretary