Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-02

but since MOTEL inspector mas OeSH
at work and since local health officers
have been made imperative by law
in all Maine towns. no such situation
is likely to exist. Maine. the vaca-
ton land, is safe for tourists.
No more striking example of what
has been accomplished through the
employment of full time health OF
ficer in making a summer resort
safe for tourists can be cited tnah
the case Of York Beach.
Thousands of people throughout
New England know of the wonder-
full beaches at York and every IA
cility for guests in that section IS
crowded to capacity during the sum-
mer months. A few years ago an
epidemic of typhoid fever broke out
there. and to protect their profitable
summer business. the people OF that
little town decided to employ full
time health officer to investigate
conditions and to be on hand 10
guard against their recurrence. Ac-
cording in 1914, York, a pioneer IN
the health movement, took into her
..employ a full time health worker.
Even the cities Of Maine at that time
! had not come to consider health
officer necessary and this step on the
part Of SO small a community which
meant the payment of a dollar per
capita in the interests of health was
a tremendous step forward.
The town Of York has been amply
repaid, however, in the increased
popularity of her beaches and the
right to assure guests that they are
protected during their stay. w. H.
Junkins is the health officer and no
recurrence of any disease outbreak
has been even approached.
Other towns are taking similar
steps and DR.. L. D. Bristol, the COM
missioner, is steadily working to
spread the gospel Of the practical
value Of health officer to all the
towns of the State. Through his eff
forts law was passed at the last
session of the legislature making
the appointment of at least a part
time man imperative in every town,
no matter how small. and permitting
the formation of health unions of
few small towns for the employment
OF full time officer.
In addition to the hotel inspector,
whose duties have to do particularly
with the health of the summer visitor
while in Maine, and the local health
officers whose interest lies in pro-
noting the reputation for healthi-
ness of their towns to attract guests
thither, there are eight district health
officers in the field, to see that all
the health laws regarding water.
milk, sanitation and contagious dis
eases are strenuously enforced
Every step is being taken to make
Maine a safe as we'll as a beautiful
vacation land. Last season 253 hotels
were visited by the inspector, the
majority of them along the coast
i and reports made upon them to the
State Department of Health. A
printed copy of this report can be
obtained upon request to the depart
ment
Another method which is proving
it's efficiency in making hotel pro-
prietors DESTROYS of winning the
health department certificate is
publicity in the newspapers con-
corning it. The program is to make
the people of Maine and visitors to
Maine so familiar with this inspec-
ton service that the presence or abb
, sence Of hotel certificate will be
noted by guests at every hotel. If
it is present, guests will feel that the
hotel is safe. and if it is not in evil
dence, they will demand to know
why not, and if no satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION is given, will seek healthier
quarters elsewhere.
still further protection of the
health of the tourist is to be found in
the legal attitude towards sanitation
IN hotels and rooming houses. AS
sociate Justice Albert NJ Spear of
the Maine supreme judicial court, an
eminent jurist, has recently handed
down an opinion that the presence
of flies in the dining room of a sum-
mer resort is menace to health and
releases from contract to OCCUPY and
pay for accommodation at any hotel
SO infested, guest annoyed by
them.
me case in question took place In
York county where an innkeeper
brought suit against a former guest
who had contracted for room and
board for two weeks for his party
and left at the end of few days on
account of the fly nuisance. The low
er court had granted a verdict to the
lnnkecper. and Justice Spear rem
dered his opinion in favor of the de-
PENDANT when the case was taken to
the law court on a motion for a new
trial.
In rendering his opinion. Justice
Spear quoted freely from scientific
bulletins prepared by the State De-
partment of Health. The depart
ment feels that this judicial rerog-
milton of the fly menace, is a marked
step forward in the anti-fly campaign
which Maine is waging, in common
with sister states, not only in her
summer resorts, but throughout the
State.