Botulism

York Uni's doing well then seeing as a number of years ago the department of Microbiology released a load of botulism into the lake and killed them all...

Posted by Dirk Diggler on Tue Feb 01, 2005 2:01 pm | Reply with quote

Botulism

York didn't even have a department of microbiology! A famous urban myth, there was a fire in the chemistry dept, tho, which washed some goodies into the lake, the biologists managed to more or less sort it out with bales of straw - but we made it worse first. Course, most of the fish are stoned most of the time but that's what you get with halls opening onto the lake...

PS No way has Nottingham got 10X the duck density of York...

Posted by greenfeet on Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:34 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

If I am right, and I am never wrong, then there have been two fires at York: Biology (pre-1979) and Chemistry (pre-1982). The fire in Biology resulted in some "things" entering the lake, which became a health hazard (swimming was banned for this reason I think). The fire in Chemistry was on a hill a long way from the lake.

Whilst I applaud the lead that York is setting, I also note that this probably accounts for the carpet of duck-related droppings that extends throughout the campus.

Posted by Erika von Trappshutt on Tue Feb 08, 2005 4:37 pm | Reply with quote

Fires and the lake

There's some info on the Biology and Chemistry fires on Ben Ibb's copy of the folkore pages. The section on the lake refutes the idea that Chemistry have anything to do with the state of the lake, although it does confirm that the Biology fire may have something to do with it.

Posted by Tom from Location: Guernsey (no longer York) on Wed Feb 09, 2005 12:04 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

Of course Yorks duck density would be a lot higher if they didn't shoot them all every summer, or whatever it is they do while us York students are away.
The downside is of course that the duck crap density would also go up and as we all have to pretty much don waders to get around campus by the end of the summer term the cull may be no bad thing...
Plus the uni makes 20% of it's profits selling them to KFC and chinese restuarants (79% from conference guests and 1% from actually being a university, hence our importance to the VC.)

Do you really need 29 injections for various things if you fall in the lake? I bet that's a urban myth too...

Posted by Dave on Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:46 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

But the staff are still here, and they might kick up a stink if they shot all of the ducks.

Dave wrote:

Of course Yorks duck density would be a lot higher if they didn't shoot them all every summer, or whatever it is they do while us York students are away.
The downside is of course that the duck crap density would also go up and as we all have to pretty much don waders to get around campus by the end of the summer term the cull may be no bad thing...
Plus the uni makes 20% of it's profits selling them to KFC and chinese restuarants (79% from conference guests and 1% from actually being a university, hence our importance to the VC.)

Do you really need 29 injections for various things if you fall in the lake? I bet that's a urban myth too...

Posted by jm on Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:13 am | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

Well I can safely say that I've been swimming and canoeing (upside-down) in the lake and I've had no injections, yet I am still alive.

Dave wrote:

O
Do you really need 29 injections for various things if you fall in the lake? I bet that's a urban myth too...

Posted by MyForest on Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:45 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

ah but are you secretly a duck in disguise

MyForest wrote:

Well I can safely say that I've been swimming and canoeing (upside-down) in the lake and I've had no injections, yet I am still alive.

Dave wrote:

O
Do you really need 29 injections for various things if you fall in the lake? I bet that's a urban myth too...

Posted by Tinks on Mon Apr 11, 2005 9:47 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

The main problem with swimming in the lake is the glass shards that cover the bottom of it. Glass shards covered in duck crap. You really don't want a shard of glass covered in duck crap spearing you...

Posted by MP on Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:43 am | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

Nah ive swam in that lake and im totally fine. There's no glass on the bottom because its just a swamp of mud. I found a telly in there when i was plesently wading through one sunday evening.
I have also been attacked by geese, they pushed me over and everything, it was one of the most frighting experiences of my life.

MP wrote:

The main problem with swimming in the lake is the glass shards that cover the bottom of it. Glass shards covered in duck crap. You really don't want a shard of glass covered in duck crap spearing you...

Posted by VanbrughLegend on Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:59 am | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

Thats's not glass!

VanbrughLegend wrote:

Nah ive swam in that lake and im totally fine. There's no glass on the bottom because its just a swamp of mud. I found a telly in there when i was plesently wading through one sunday evening.
I have also been attacked by geese, they pushed me over and everything, it was one of the most frighting experiences of my life.

Posted by Guest on Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:40 am | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

those damn geese are evil

golden duck on the other hand is a bad ass genius

Posted by indie on Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:56 pm | Reply with quote

Re: Botulism

indie wrote:

those damn geese are evil

golden duck on the other hand is a bad ass genius

it's not golden duck it's fit duck, and its secretly more evil than any of the geese. personally i think its one of the godfather's clan in disguise.

_________________
Life is donner - the possibilities are endless.

Posted by Jack Daniel from Location: Tanghall, York on Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:41 pm | Reply with quote