No. 4.] REPORT OF DAIRY BUREAU. 315 



that was done was to codify, print and distribute the dairy 

 laws of the State for the information of all persons interested 

 or concerned. 



Interviews have been held with the State Board of Health 

 and also the niilk inspectors of Boston and other cities, rela- 

 tive to working in unison with them (section 10, chapter 

 412) and also to avoid unnecessary duplicating of the same 

 work. 



In almost every case we have been met with the utmost 

 courtesy and with assurances that we could work in unison 

 with these dhTerent officers. 



Interviews have also been had with the collector of inter- 

 nal revenue and a list of persons holding United States 

 licenses has been secured. In some States the dairy com- 

 missioner has had trouble in obtaining this list and has 

 sharply criticised the United States officials for such failure. 

 This bureau has found no trouble whatever in this matter. 

 The United States laws very emphatically forbid the com- 

 missioner of internal revenue from furnishing any lists of 

 licensed parties. At the same time, they provide that a 

 general alphabetical list shall be kept open for public inspec- 

 tion at all times, and from this public list was copied the 

 names of those holding oleomargarine licenses. 



Interviews have also been held with Dr. Goessmann rela- 

 tive to analyses of suspected samples of oleomargarine ; and 

 with both him and Dr. Davenport relative to microscopic 

 tests of the same. 



Most of the work done so far toward suppressing the ille- 

 gal sale of oleomargarine has been that done by the bureau's 

 agent appointed for that purpose, although in Boston Dr. 

 Harrington, the milk inspector, has done much work in that 

 direction. September 1 he detailed a special inspector to 

 look up the illegal sales of oleomargarine, and has taken 

 several cases into court for violation of the laws relating to 

 marks, signs, wrappers, and also for violation of chapter 58 

 of the Acts of 1891, relative to sales of any articles which 

 shall be in imitation of yellow butter. These were the first 

 cases tried under the law and its constitutionality was at 

 once questioned ; two test cases were taken to the supreme 

 court where they were argued before the full bench at the 

 November session. The decision has not yet been rendered. 



