Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-01
Governor and His Council
Finish Years Business.
State Board Of Health Holds
Important Meeting Tuesday.
Officers Changed From Governors
Staff TO General. Staff.


Of the Governor and Council was held
in the Council Chamber Tuesday, COM
mencing at 8 o'clock in the morning,
for the purpose of closing UP the
states business for the year, and al
though the morning session was fol-
lowed by one in the Afternoon and an
other in the evening, the time might
be said to have been almost wholly
devoted to routine business.
Previous to the meeting it had been
thought possible that decision
might be rendered in the Edward A.
Chase pardon matter, hearing on
which was given at the regular Deem
Der meeting of the Council, but it was
decided that action on the matter be
deferred until the January meeting of
the Council.
1t was also expected that Thomas ].
Young of Scion, county attorney Of
Somerset county, to whom the Cover
nor had written to appear before him
AT the meeting, to give reasons, if any,
why special attorney should not be
sent to Somerset county to enforce the
prohibtory law, but the man did not
appear. This action was taken by the
Governor in accordance with section
OF the so-called Sturgis law. which
gives the Governor power to send a
special attorney into county where
he has reason to believe that the pres
ecuting officer is derelict in his duty.
This is the first instance of the kind
that has occurred in the State.
The meeting OF the State Board of
Health which was held at the State
House Tuesday forenoon and afternoon
was busy session. Mr.. Evans, the di-
rector of the laboratory, and the sec
rotary reported OH a visit of inspec-
ton to Mirror lake and its watershed
which serves as the source of supply
for Rcckland, Rockport and Thomas
ton The visit was made for the
purpose of advising the local
board Of Rockport. within whose
boundary the lake is located, in regard
10 the necessary precautionary meas
ures for safeguarding the future pur
ity of this water supply which is con-
sidered one of the best in the State.
The secretary reported that in a Sc
ries # papers in one of the leading
public health journals Of Germany.
an Austrial military commission in
Vienna had carried on an elaborate Sc
ries Of experiments for the purpose
Of determining the most efficient pro-
cesses for disinfection with formal
iehyde, and had reported that. as
compared with other methods, includ-
ing some which had within the last
few months been reported on favOrably
in some of the government laborato-
ries in that country, the permangan-
ate method worked out and made
available to the public and to health
officers by the state Board of Health
of Maine is preferable to all other
methods.
a special committee consisting of
DR.. Woodcock, the secretary and the
president. was appointed to bring
about if practicable. q uniform Sys-
TEN OF recording the personal history
OF patients upon their reception into
the hospitals.
The secretary presented to the board
a circular letter which. under the in
structions of the board at its last
meeting. had been prepared by him: to
be sent to manufacturers in the State
fer the purpose of enlisting their CO.
operation in the work of lessening the
prevalence of tuberculosis among the
operatives in mills, factories. and
workshops. This letter was approved
bv the board. -''-f-
Much of the time Of the board wa
spent in the consideration of tuberculosis:
as the most serious infectious and Cpl
tiernic disease which devastates dur State
as well as all other civilized countries
The marked results in diminishing tbs
number of deaths which occur annually
in the State was noted, a reduction from