Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-04
Concerning the Condition
Of Maine Diaries.
Sc. Thompson Ohjectsto State
ment In Bay State Report.
Election Of Second Lieutenant Or
dered For Go. K, list Inf.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Coun-
Gil Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10 A. M.

{ c. Thompson Of Winterport, for
mer state dairy instructor connected
With the department of agriculture,
ana who is now an assistant to In
structor Leon S. Merrill of Scion, was
al the department yesterday on mat
1srs of business. Mr.. Thompson takes
exceptions to the report Of the Mas
sacuusetts Board of Health, just is
sued, regarding the sources OF milk
supply beyond the borders of Massa-
chusctts, which report states that the
diaries of Maine are distinctly m
feric., in all respects TO those Of any
o,ner OF equal area visited, and that
one-quartcr Of them are dirty.
Agents and veterinarians from the
Massachusetts, department visited the
towns of Wsstbrook, tiorham, Buxton
and North Berwick, from which the
greater part Of the milk supply for
the Massachusetts cities and towns
comes. The dairy shipment from
these places is 500 quarts, furnished by
Sc, cows.
In discussing the matter yesterday
Mr. Thompson said;
The condition of the diaries in the
stat. Of Main. is not all that the de-
partncnt Of agriculture desires II
should be. but when compared wltn
conditions in other states we compare
very favorably, and in most instances
we are above their average. The towns
of Westbrool, Buxton, North berwick
and Gorham, which are mentioned mere
are not the best dairy towns in the
state of Maine but compare favorahiy
New England states which have COME
under my observations
"Tbe department of agriculture
through ITS dairy instructor. is plan
ming a campaign for the improvement
Of dairy barns by using the govern
n.nt score card and making criticism:
where they belong, and leaving cop!
v.itt, the owner. The department of ag
ricuture is also planning diagrams 10
stalls BIZ which means the animals
may be kept clean without extra ia
Dor. Under the public laws OF l9o1
which provides that milk shall not b.
sold when taken from COWS Kept IN al
,.ttt.lean or unsanitary condition o
milk kept in cans which are unsani
1ary. precautions will be made.
."rhe health Of the animals in tn
state OF Maine is shown by the re
port of the cattle commissioners t
be superior Of that of any other OF tn
New England states The number
cows having tuberculosis is not aboV
|, Der cent which is a remarkably lo'
percentage. All animals are con
demncd and slaughtered when show
To be diseased by the tubercuiin test.
II believe that this criticism is un
fair and uncallrd for and the repor
must be based on partial eXamina
ton Of the existing conditions. AM
Will, I admit the need of better III
spertion and more interest on the par
Of the dairymen yet from my opSer
walton in the other New England state
am satisfied that the average condl
tions in Maine are superior TO the aV
erape conditions existing in New Ems
lard"
DIR. a. G. Young of Augusta, secre
tary Of the state Board of Health
the report of the Massachusetts Boar
Of Health that One-fourth Of me co"
located in the towns where MaSSachu
setts cities and towns get one-tourt
of their milk supply. were dirty als
that the darieS Of Maine are lnferi'
In all respects 10 tndSe u any "'ii'
Of equal area, said:
II nave no reason to doubt that
ne, not up to the standard sol MaSSa
chusetts in protecting the public froi
The danger of dirty and diseased mill
A bill was introduced at the last ses
sion of the Legislature, with the sane
ton of the State Board of Health, rr'
viding for the licensing of milk me
by the cities and larger towns in II
State and providing for a proper cor
troll of their milk supplies by the lcci
Boards of Health of those towns, b'
the measure failed of passage
surely think that there is need OF
general State law, not only in the II
terest of public health but as ult
mateiy Very much in the interest OF II
milk producers themselves
STATE. OF MAINE.