It was seen in travelers in the outback rather than in cities or towns, but occasionally entire settlements were affected, such as occurred in Toowoomba in 1903. The aboriginal population knew to avoid the ailment by not drinking from certain water sources and by taking water from soaks or pits dug in the dry sandy bed of a stream.
It was commonly observed in rural travelers rather than urban residents, but occasionally entire communities were impacted, such as happened in Toowoomba in 1903. The indigenous population was aware of the disease by avoiding contaminated water sources and collecting water from shallow depressions or pits dug into the dry riverbed.