Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON STATE : Rare Toxin in Lake Poses Health Threat

A rare algae poison in a suburban lake near Tacoma, Wash., has killed two cats, and health officials warned people to stay away from the deadly water. The soupy, blue-green masses of algae in American Lake are so toxic that a few glassfuls of contaminated water could kill a human. Officials plan to kill the algae with copper sulfate today. The steps followed an autopsy on two cats taken to the state health department a week ago. Matter found in their stomachs and on their fur indicated they probably ingested the toxin by cleaning their coats. W. T. Edmondson, a retired University of Washington professor who specializes in lake ecology, said no one knows exactly what triggers the usually harmless algae to produce the toxin, but sewage appears to play a key role.