Environment?

[Alvis Clegg <a_clegg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Friends,

Thanks to those of you who responded to my 'introduction' posting. (And
for those who haven't, it's not too late.)  As I have noted, I am very
interested in the cluster of PD which has occurred in the vicinity of the
rural school which my half-brother and I attended.  While this was a
rural area, and some tobacco, corn, and cotton were grown during my
boyhood, the use of insecticides was miniscule and the use commercial
fertilizer was minimal, for economic reasons.

If there was any one feature that made my school different,
environmentally, it was the sewer system.  It consisted of an open-air,
gravel pit only a hundred yards or so from the pump-house (well).  As I
recall, when the septic tank reached a certain level, a siphoning action
was initiated and the contents flowed into the center of the gravel pit.
Yes, when this action took place, it was SMELLY!  The school, still in
use, but I suppose with an improved sewer discharge, was located on
relatively high ground, i.e., there was a gentle slope away from the
building in all directions.  I have no idea of the depth of wells, the
school or homes, in this vicinity, or of the underground water flow pattern.

While I do not expect a single cause to be found for PD, the many
mentions of PD in rural areas makes me wonder if there could be a
relationship between water sources and human waste disposal -  outdoor
toilets in days past, septic tanks today; in other words, non-treated
sewerage.

Does anyone have a comment or recall anything of interest along this line?

Having heard nothing concerning a questionnaire relating to
environmental conditions surrounding PD patients, I plan to write each of
three major US centers for Parkinson's research requesting same.

While in this and previous postings I have referred to my "half-brother"
in the event specific genetic questions should arise, I shall henceforth
refer to him as "brother", since that's the only term by which I have
ever known him.

I look forward to your comment.  Thanks.

Alvis Clegg <a_clegg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>