The Portland daily press., 1895-05-22

An important meeting of the Portland
Board of Health and State Cattle Com
missioners was held Tuesday afternoon
In the Health Inspectors Office, City
Building. All of the Cattle Commits
sioners were present: DR.. Geo. II.
Bailey. OF Deering, F. o. Beal. of Ban
gor, and John Deering OF Saco.
DIR. FL. P. Merrill, of the Portland
Board of Health, began the discussion
by saying that there was at present
much tubercular disease in Portland,
and the physicians of the city were
strongly of the opinion that much of
this disease was traceable to the milk
supply. 1t had long since been demon
strated that tuberoular diseases might be
transmitted from diseased cow to
human beings, especially to children and
the infirm, through milk. The Portland
Board of Health had been considering the
matter for some time, and had come to
the conclusion that the herds from
which Portland is supplied with milk
should be examined. DR.. Merrill said
that he and his associates had decided
to call upon the Cattle Commissioners
for such action as they might think
test.
"Do more than one in seven of the
people of Portland die of consumption"
asked Mr.. Beal. "That is the proper
ton, believe, tor the country in gen.
eral."
To this DR.. Merrill replied that he
people of Portland die of consumption,
and he believed that long step would
be taken towards that result in the next
ten years.
DR.. Bailey then directed the line of in
quiry to the proba BILE extent and cost of
whatever investigation should be need
ed. 1t was stated that Portland's milk
supply comes largely from out of the
city, the towns along the Grand Trunk
sending from points beyond Danville
junction even. On the Rochester road it
comes from beyond Gorham, and on the
Ogdens burg division from beyond Steep
Falls. So far no complaints had been
made as TO the condition of these hun
dreds of cattle; but it was not to be ex-
pected that a milkman would say any
thing, even if he suspected tuberculosis,
as the actual discovery of case might
hurt his trade. In five years only three
cases had been found in herds about
Portland. DR.. Bailey said that he was
just completing an investigation of the
Rigby herd of sixteen COWS. The tuber-
culin test had been used, and all of the
sixteen cows shad been found heathful
A little bull, however, had showed Il
suspicious reaction, and his case would
be examined further. DR.. Bailey said
that while Massachusetts was honey
combed with tuberculosis, Maine was
last November all cattle carried into
Massachusetts had been tested with tu-
berculin. Two hundred or three hundred
Maine cattle have gone from Maine to
Massachusetts every month since then,
but only three cases of tn Der culosis have
been found in the whole lot.
Commissioner Beal said that he and his
associates were disposed to do all they
could for Portland; but the Legislature
allowed only $4,000 yearly, snd this was
not really sufficient to attend to cases
brought to the boards attention, to say
nothing about hunting up cases.
DIR. Merrill said that this was one of
the most important questions for the
people of city like Portland, and he be-
lieved that our milk supply ought to be
Investigated regardless of cost.
DR.. Bailey said he agreed with DR..
Merrill in this respect; but the State
Cattle Commissioners were limited in
res ources. The tuberculin was very ex-
pensive. The amount used on the six
teen COWS of the Rigby herd cost IS.
OF course milk from diseased COW
should not be used: but the United
States reports stated that the actual
danger from milk twas not great unless
ths cows disease had progressed to the
stage of emaciation DR.. Bailey said that
in his experience he had found that
the stables where cows were kept were
often in abominable sanitary condition.
only about 100 square feet of air space
being provided for each COW, when the
space should be thousand square feet
These bad sanitary conditions were
liable at any time to induce tubercu-
losis.
Commissioner Deering said that in
his manufacture of butter he sterilized
all his milk. and he believed that all
milk should be sterilized before use.
Milk Inspector George H. Blake was
present, and spoke of the authorizations
common in milk. OF course his methods
of testing would not disclose the pres
ence of the tubercular bacillus.
Commissioner Beal suggested that it
might be possible to inspect all herds
OF six OF more COWS from which milk is
sent to Portland, without going to the
great expense of using the tubercular
test.
SO it was finally decided that. Mr..
George +. Wescotr, of this city, who has
had experience IN the examination of
cattle with Dr Rail.v elo,,I1