REPORT OF STATE DAIRY INSPECTOR. 43 



LOCAL INSPECTION. 



Local inspection of milk in the state has been limited to a 

 few cities and, as has been the case in the past, the work in these 

 cities is limited because of lack of sufficient funds to procure a 

 trained inspector, lack of proper equipment and facilities and 

 frequent changes of office due to political preference. That 

 such conditions are not conducive to better milk supplies must 

 be evident, and gradually the work is being left to the state. 

 To meet this condition, I have found that the greater part of my 

 time has had to be given to collecting samples of the milk supply 

 of cities and towns and I have had to give up many visits to 

 dairv farms and further educational work. 



In my previous report I have stated the attitude and status 

 of local inspection and, as conditions have remained unchanged, 

 no further comment is deemed necessary. 



One city has attempted a bacteriological examination of its 

 milk supply but, because of insufficient funds, the work is nec- 

 essarily limited ; however, results have been gained, even with 

 the limited facilities present. 



TUBERCULOSIS. 



Several local boards of health have passed ordinances pro- 

 hibiting milk from other than tuberculin tested cows from 

 being sold. This has meant the compulsory testing of cows as 

 a means of preventing the disease from being disseminated in 

 the milk. This is a step in the proper direction but should 

 not be attempted unless there is a thorough understanding of 

 the situation and competent testing is to be employed. The 

 farmer is usually the one who loses and he is hardly to be 

 blamed if he dissents, but the health of the community is far 

 more valuable than diseased animals and it is a true public ser- 

 vice to rid any community of such animals. The testing and 

 elimination of questionable animals should be in the hands of 

 competent men who have concern for the interest of the farmer 

 and consumer alike. It is a poor farmer who is willing to be 

 uncertain as to the health of his herd, but at the same time he 

 should receive the assistance of experts if he is to be com- 

 pelled to submit to others the fate of his animals, which may be 

 his means of livelihood. In questionable cases, the "Bang 



