246 AGRICUIvTURE; of MAINE. 



gress made in improving the milk supply could be demonstrated. 

 A new system was inaugurated, the milk inspector's office was 

 equipped with apparatus approved by the State Daify Inspect- 

 or, and all of the tubes and testing apparatus duly inspected by 

 the State experts and put in first-class condition. 



"On making a careful analysis of the situaiion the Board 

 decided to begin its work in attempting to improve- the milk 

 sold in this city by getting at the source of supply and making 

 a thorough inspection of all cows and dairies. As a preliminary 

 step the Board secured the consent of the owners of three herds 

 of cattle in the vicinity of Portland and had these cattle tested 

 with tuberculin applied by a veterinarian recommended by the 

 Board of Cattle Commissioners. 



"There were twenty-seven cows in these three herds, and 

 of this number five were reported diseased. On being killed 

 "these animals were found to be badly affected with tuberculosis. 

 The situation seemed to warrant a further investigation, and 

 with the consent of the owners, the Board continued testing 

 cows for tuberculosis. The percentage of diseased cows rap- 

 idly increased as the work went on, until it reached sixteen and 

 a half per cent. The Board then decided to require all dealers 

 in milk to show a clean bill of health for their animals before 

 they were given a license or allowed to continue the sale of milk 

 in Portland. The following notice was ordered sent to all milk 

 dealers in Portland : 



" 'Notice is hereby given to the dealers in milk in the city 

 of Portland that the Board of Health of said city requires (in 

 compliance with the rules and regulations relating to the sale of 

 milk within the city of Portland, Maine, approved by Thomas H. 

 Haskell, Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, June 

 29, 1897), that all milk and cream sold or offered for sale within 

 the city limits on and after June 10 A. D. 1906, shall come from 

 cows which have been examined by the tuberculin test for tuber- 

 culosis, applied by some veterinarian, approved by said Board, 

 and a certificate of such examination, giving the name and resi- 

 dence of the owner or keeper of the cow or cows, and a descrip- 

 tion sufficient for identification, and the place and conditions as 

 to the food and drink furnished such cow, and showing that such 

 cow is healthy and free from disease, shall have been filed with 

 the Secretary of the Board. 



