The Portland daily press., 1898-12-09

Other Features OF the Closing Day OF the
Observation-Disclosures Awarded for
Butter, Cheese ard Poultry--Al1 Go
Home Satisfied
The dairymen and othsrs who have
been here in attendance upon the eleventh
convention of the dairy interests are 60
ing home convinced that this has been
the most successful affair of the kind ever
held in New England. That was what
Mr.. B. Walker McKesn, secretary Of the
state board of agriculture, said of it at
half past eight last evening when, upon
the adjournment, he moved vote of
thanks to the city of Portland and the
railroads and hotels, and all who had
helped make the meeting success.
The board Of agriculture held a meeting
yesterday morning but its work was
limited to charging a sort of le gislative
steering committee which is to watch
things at Augusta during the first two or
three weeks Of the approaching session.
1t consists of Messrs. A. s. Farnsworth
of West Pembroke, John +. Talbot Of
Andover and J. M. Winslow of Noble
boro. They will act until tho annual
NEE ting of the board.
At the diary meeting at City hall there
were more people present yesterday morn
ing than at either of the previous meet
ings. The chief speaker was Mr.. Valancey
e. Fuller of New York, secretary of the
American Jersey CattIe club, and a recog-
nised authority. His subject was the
breeding, selection and handling of the
modern dairy COW to secure the most
profit. Mr.. Fuller said the modern dairy
COW is triumph of mind over matter.
that is, she is the result of development.
study, patient endeavor. The dairy cow
has become an institution. She has come
to stay. No successful dairyinan can
afford to keep what has been called the
general purpose COW. The animal must
be bred especially for the dairy. Such an
one, if pure bred, has the power fixed in
her to transmit her own qualities to her
offspring, thus fulfilling the double
function of a profitable dairy COW and a
breeder. Then Mr.. Fuller told his hearers
particulars about breeding and raising
and keeping COWS. Prof Jordan and
others were heard upon the subject.
The speaker at the afternoon session,
when another large audience was in at
tendance, was DR.. Theobald Smith.
patho1ogist at the Harvard Medical
school. He talked Of dairying in it's
sanitary aspects He referred to the gen
eral work for the protection of the public
health saying that no one knows how
often he has bee n saved from disease by
the intervention of the public health
machine which in our large cities works
today without friction and with remark
able success Discussing the relations be-
tween milk supply and sanitation he said
the subject must BIS regarded in reference
to The great value of milk as food for
infants, children and invalids and also in
regard to its use unlocked. The purity
of the milk supply and the water supply
are the two most important factors In
communities otherwise well protected
from within and without and also in pre-
venting the spread Of children's diseases.
The source of disease associated with the
milk supply may be classified as follows:
i. The general filth and want OF cleanli-
ness of stable, cattle and utensils. 2.
Specific infectious diseases of human be-
ings handling the milk, typhoid fever,
diphtheria, dysentery, scarlet fever. 8.
Occasional bacterial diseases of cattle
such as diarrhoea, foul condition of the
uterus after calying, inflammatory
diseases of the udder. 4 Specific diseases
OF the COW, tuberculosis, foot and mouth
disease, (restricted to the European
continent.) To all these DR.. Smith re.
ferred at length.
He devoted considerable of his time to
tuberculosis which he believes to be
dangerous In diaries and something from
which the consumers of milk should be
protected. He advocated dairy inspection
and that included inspection also of the
health and cleanliness of the household
having to do with the milk supply.
Pastuerization was advocated but it is
not general specific. Even sterilized
milk may be dangerous II 1t was loaded
with bacteria at the outset
DR.. Smith argued that in the study and
Of the means by which man
may be saved from preyentable disease
with the least amount of trouble, the
whole civilized world is active, and legis-
lation looking to the protection of society
from the ignorance, Indifference and
,rimina! negligence of some of its MEM
bers is making rapid progress. 1t Is
known that heat destroys many danger
BUS bacteria, and cooking the food Of
cattle. is AS Important as cooking our own.
Thus a large part of the infectious
diseases of animals might be avoided. He
had lnnch to say regarding general cleanli-
cess and argued that the absolute separ a.
don of the housekeeping from the dairy
business is becoming more and more
fragrant violations of this
,uIe are frequently observed by sanitary
nspsctors in and about our large cities
rhe animals, their food. the storage of
manure. the drinking water, the relation
# the dwelling house to the dairy room