Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-05

winch nave laboratories and techni-
clans that analyze milk that comes
from the farmer and wherever milk
is found that Is not Of good standard
quallty or high in bacterial count
ana containing a god deal OF sedi-
ment the farmers are notified and
methods are remedied"
Inspector Osgood then took up the
general principles for considera ton
in the production of milk of good
quality, grouped in two phases,
equipment and methods.
He told of the equipment needed
to produce milk of good quality and
free from sediment, the equipment
beginning with the COW which should
be tuberculin tested at least once
each year as we'll as being examined
by a qualified veterinarian annually.
This Will assure safe milk to begin
with. Construction and sanitary ar
rangements of the barn and milk
house and the care of utensils were
described by the speaker.
He declared that all diaries should
be inspected at least twice each year,
once during the summer and again
in the winter time. Samples of the
product should be taken at least ev-
cry two months and apalyzed for
butter fat and total solids as we'll
as for bacterian count wherever
possible.
Address by DIR. Nelson
How the Laboratory Can Help
the Local Health Officers" was the
topic taken up by Walter c. Nelson,
D.P.H., director of the State dag
nostic laboratory. DR.. Nelson stated
that definite information cannot al
ways be secured at the laboratory
for there is great deal of difference
b&ween the work there and at
medical school laboratories where
definite things are always put before
the students.
He spoke Of the importance of
sending in specimens frequently for
analysis in cases where disease is
suspected. There has been gain in
the fight against typhoid through
Much of the typhoid found is due
to carriers. There must be repeated
specimens for analysis in cases of
suspected typhoid carriers.
The work of the laboratory was
described Interestingly by DR.. Nell
son, who stated that one problem is
to get the physicians to use the
laboratory and inform them how to
interpret the results after they get
them. At the close of his talk. he
answered many questions pertaining
to his subject.
Miss Soule Speaks
The service that can be rendered
by public health nurses In discover
ing diseases in communities and re-
porting them to local health officers,
was stressed by Miss Edith L. Soule,
r. n, director of the division of
child welfare and public health nur-
sing of the State Health department.
Going into the homes, the public
health nurses have great opportunity
to discover any insanitary conditions.
They have opportunity to learn
about suspected cases of disease and
having them attended to by the
family physician.
AS child welfare is tied up closely
with communicable diseases there
should be close relationship between
health officers and nurses in the
matter of children's problems. The
nurse can look into the conditions
in the homes.
Miss Soule told Of the Importance
of follow-up work-seeing to il that
school pupils who have been absent
on account of illness and have not
beer under a physicians care, do
not return to school until their con-
dition warrants so that there will be
no danger of spreading disease.
A problem that confronts nurses
In rura. communities is the securing
Of sufficient milk supply for tine
children. Here health officers can
assist in informing the nurses where
safe aud clean milk can be procured.
The county health nurses do not
have the same opportunities as the
nurses for they do not go
into the homes, but In the work In
schools they have an opportunity to
serve with the local health officers.
Following the afternoons ad-
dresses there was a roundtable DIS
cussion of health officers problems.
Evening Session
Speakers at the evening meeting of
he conference were DIR. George Hol-
len Coombs, director of the divisions
IF communicable diseases and social
hygiene of the State department of
health, and DR.. G. r. Caldwell, Fed
eral inspector in charge of bovine
eradication in Maine.
DR.. Coombs spoke of the various
methods Of control of communicable
diseases and urged the Importance
If toxin anto-toxin vaccination for
against diptheria, small
oox vaccination and typhoid vaccina-
ton. He told of the Importance of
quarantine in cases of communicable
diseases and of the need of report
ng of these diseases.
The work that is being done In
Maine to wipe out bovine tuberculosis
was described by DIR. Caldwell wso
pointed out that Maine already had
one accredited area where the dis
ease had been reduced to less than
one- half of one per cent, this being
Piscataquis county. 1t Is hoped that
Somerset and Penobscot counties
will also be rated as accredited areas
before the end of this year. He
showed that Maine leads the other
New England states in the fight
against tuberculosis in cattle and
stands as one of the foremost states
n the country in the eradication re-
suits.
The conference will be continued
today and among the speakers will
De Senior Surgeon C. H. Lavinder,
director of the Eastern Division, u.
5. Public Health Service, who will
speak this morning on the subject,
Some Aspects of Public Health
Work.