DAIRY MEETING. ICX) 



(3) That tuberculin has no injurious effect upon healthy cat- 

 tle. 



(4) That the comparatively small number of cattle which 

 have aborted, suffered in health, or fallen off in condition after 

 the tuberculin test were either diseased before the test was 

 made or were affected by some cause other than the tuberculin. 



The prime conditions, then, to secure pure milk are to demand 

 the product of sound cows and that these cows are kept clean. 

 The milk as soon as drawn should be reduced to a temperature 

 below 50 degrees F. until pasteurized or consumed. I know that 

 these conditions are much more easily demanded than enforced 

 but I am told that the Maine Dairymen's Association has done 

 much to better the unsanitary conditions of many of our farms 

 and dairies. 



In summarizing: Tuberculin may be said to be for the vet- 

 erinarian what the X-Ray is to the medical practioner,— it 

 invariably locates the presence of the disease. 



In closing, I wish to urge that the watchword of our present 

 Commission and Maine Dairymen's Association should be "No 

 backward step." The farmers should assist the effort to eradi- 

 cate this disease by trying to bring about better sanitary condi- 

 tions in the dairies, by cleaning up, cleaning out and keeping- 

 clean by persistently applying the tuberculin test, and destroying 

 the diseased animals as they are found from time to time. 



I fully realize the opposition felt by some of the farmers in 

 Maine for I know, as they do, that some of our profession have 

 not been as honest and conscientious about the work as the test 

 requires and it has reflected not only on the veterinarians 

 throughout the State but on the work of the commission and in 

 a way has hindered the good work which might have been ac- 

 complished. The test might well be opposed if carried on under 

 some conditions which have been rumored. However, we have 

 in the State a number of good reliable competent, honest and 

 conscientious men and if the commission, the farmer and the 

 veterinarian will work in unison the result will surely prove sat- 

 isfactory and be of great benefit to the farmer and consumer 

 without any ill effect upon the animal receiving the tuberculin 

 test. 



