Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-30
STATE HOUSE..
Valuable Information by
State Milk Inspector.
Large Potato Crop Is Reported
From Araosiook County.
Notes and JoiiIngs Gathered irsm
Capitol Corridors.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR
Regular Meeting Of Governor and
Council, Thursday, Sept. 1s, 1918, 10
A. M.

sDtdiS WIN inspector INhScfll -
Smith has, in the Bulletin of the in
vestigation of dairy products issued by
the department of Agriculture, this ~
say about milk:
The necessity for safe milk, how i.
can be secured. and the responsibility
of the producer, distributor and con-
sumer are subjects usually misunder
stood or passed over lightly by the
general public. There are, however
certain facts concerning milk that
must be known, taught and needed
These facts Should enighten rather
than brighten.
To-day there is not shade of
doubt but that impure raw milk and
cream are prominent factors in keep
ing up the prevalence of tuberculosis,
typhoid fever, scarlet fever. diphtheria,
inlantile diarrhea and other diseases
and impaired physical conditions that
have been positively traced to contain
mated milk.
The continued high mortality of
adults and Infants from these prevent
able diseases can be enormously re-
dueed by heading the teachings of
modern santarians and ignoring the
old ia shioned sentiment that. Farm
conditions, as they used to be, were
not conducive of these dangers and,
therefore, no changes are now neces
sary.'"
This modern sanitary education
must be commenced at the farm and
be continued to include the consumer.
There must be cooperation by every
one who handles milk to protect it
from contamna ton. The public must
pay for this care and the farmer must
give a better product for the increase
price that he must receive. Dirty milk
should not be bought at any price.
1t is now generally conceded thai
dairy products are prolific causes Of
disease and sometimes death. These
facts cannot ge too forcibly nor too
frequently, brought to the attention oil
the public. Persons of high intellee-
tuaI attainments. and even physicians
of ability, constantly ignore the condi-
tions of the production and the dis
tribution of the supplies used in their
households as well as by their patients
Instances are many where no efforts
have been made to ascertain the quail
ity of the milk used.
When clean. cold, raw milk, tina;
has been produced under strictly san
itary conditions and, consequently, has
low bacteria content. cannot be Sc
cured, or there is any doubt as to
whether the supply is safe. pasteuriza-
ton of the milk should be resdted to.
This is often done when parents are
doubt as to the germ content of the
milk for their babies. Pasteurizatien
should not be attempted, however. un-
less the milk is to be properly pasteur
lied. meaning that carelessness at a
single point in the process may i'm
pair The milk. Proper cooling must
necessarily follow the heating. which
in turn. must be at a certain tempera-
ture for a stated period of time.
Frequently customers receiving
dirty milk are advised not to use the
sd me unless they strain out the sedi
ment and then properly pasteurize and
ccol the milk. Especially is this the
case when a clean supply is lacking
and the milk is to be used for infant
feeding.
When milk is to be for infants the
pasteurzation should be done in the
nursing bottle to avoid the possibili-
ties of contamination md the neeess.
ity of warming the entire lot of milk
each time feeding is taken. This
will require. on account of the small
er bottles, a slightly different method
than for ordinary bottles.
Milk. cream and butter scoring
contests are to be held at the State
Fair and Central Maine Fair as has
been the custom in recent years. The
lack of interest and the consequent
few entries have caused the officials
to declare that such contests are not
eo be continued. Why is II that city
milk dealers do not take or send four
pint bottles of their milk or cream to
be scored for its actual quality and
purity, at these contests. is question
surely there is no better way for es-
tablishing a sound and practical ba-
sis for Improvement and advance lii
price,