196 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



at the same time, keep any chance intestinal bacteria from mul- 

 tiplying to a harmful extent, for the number of bacteria that a 

 person ingests has an important bearing on the likelihood of 

 disease following. 



Sixth, the farm should have a pure water supply, both to 

 prevent the entrance of economically harmful bacteria, and 

 water-borne disease bacteria, into the milk. This is not a 

 source of added expense to the producer. The State will tell 

 him free of charge if his water supply is pure or contaminated. 



If the producer will observe these 6 points he will be able 

 to produce a clean, and at the same time a healthy milk ; and 

 at practically no added cost. The consumer has a right to this 

 degree of protection, and the sooner he demands it of the pro- 

 ducer the better it will be for both parties. If the producer 

 will not go to this extent in giving his trade a healthful article 

 of food, then the law should compel him to pasteurize his milk 

 before sale, and to mark it plainly as being so treated. Pas- 

 teurization is but a makeshift at the best. It does not imply 

 that any kind of milk, from any kind of an animal, and han- 

 dled in any kind of way ought to be used, but that, if some 

 persons will produce, and some persons will buy such milk, then 

 they should know what they are buying. Pasteurization is no 

 apology for carelessness. 



The c[uestion naturally arises in such a body as this, "Does 

 such a condition as this exist?" The answer, so far as it affects 

 this State, is plain. During the last two years 49.7 per cent of 

 all milk samples, and 5 per cent of all cream samples collected 

 by the inspector of the State Commissioner of Agriculture 

 have contained such quantities of dirt as to be visible to the 

 naked eye, when looking at the bottom of the milk bottle. These 

 samples have not been collected with an eye to dirty samples, 

 but were taken in the routine course of collection of samples for 

 examination for adulteration. This is a serious condition, and 

 is the warrant for such a paper as this at a meeting of the 

 dairy interests of the State. 



