REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. I3 



cities, suffering with syphilis, have gotten by these argus-eyed 

 protectors of pubHc health. Yet the pure food inspectors from 

 the Department of Agriculture have several times located and 

 had removed such afflicted persons, while the board of health 

 has paid not one particle of attention to what is presumably 

 their duty ; and it is left for men not medically trained to call 

 the attention of proprietors to these conditions, rather than 

 for a board of health which is trained, and whose duty it would 

 seem to be. So far as I, myself, am concerned, I would prefer 

 to eat a slice of rotten watermelon or a piece of bad meat, or 

 drink a glass of the dirtiest milk, rather than to be served once 

 by a waiter, or to have the dishes from which I eat washed by a 

 person suffering from this loathsome disease. 



The activities of the Department have been going at full 

 swing. The agricultural societies and the Department have 

 worked very harmoniously together, there not having been a 

 ripple of ill will or of friction, to my knowledge. 



GYPSY MOTHS. 



The field agent for the gypsy moth work has been Ed. J. 

 Cadey of Portland. Mr. Cadey has demonstrated his capabiH- 

 ties again and again and, as a final proof, the United States 

 authorities did not find a single new town infested with the 

 gypsy moth during this year. The Federal authorities have 

 assisted us materially in the fighting of this pest, and especially 

 in the breeding of parasites. John Summers, from the United 

 States laboratory at Melrose Highlands, had charge of the De- 

 partment laboratories at Deering during the season ; 20,535 o^ 

 the different parasites were located in different parts of the 

 state. 



The pest is worst in York county. The other counties — 

 those in the southern part of the state, especially — are infested 

 only in localities. They include Cumberland, Sagadahoc and 

 Lincoln. The infestations in the other parts of the state are 

 small and of not much consequence at the present time. It is 

 the hope of this Department that the parasites will equal or 

 exceed the expectations we entertain of them ; and that they 

 will establish themselves where there are large colonies and. in 

 time, will follow and hold in subjection this terrible pest. This, 



