THERAPEUTIC ACTION OF FEBMENTED MILK 31 



ON THE THEKAPEUTIC ACTION OF FEEMENTED MILK 



By C. a. HERTBR, M.D. 



rnOFESSOK of PHAEMACOLOGY and THEKAPBTJTICSj COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 



DUEING the past year there has been in the United States a large 

 increase in the use of fermented milk in the treatment of dis- 

 orders of digestion and nutrition. A clearly discernible influence in 

 bringing about this increase lies in the publications made by Professor 

 Metclmikoff and his colleagues in reference to the fermented milk 

 known as lacto-bacilline. The statements made by these scientific 

 workers have been repeatedly exaggerated by persons having a commer- 

 cial interest in the sale of certain kinds of fermented milks. It is 

 apparently true that many physicians have been influenced by these 

 statements in the direction of recommending among their patients a 

 much wider use of fermented milk, and especially of lacto-bacilline, 

 than was previously the case. Moreover many persons have decided 

 without the advice of a physician to make a trial of some form of 

 fermented milk or of some form of lactic acid ferment capable of act- 

 ing upon milk sugar. It appears that this dietetic practise is still on 

 the increase and likely to modify the habits of a not unimportant part 

 of the community in respect to diet. In view of this fact it seems to 

 me desirable to consider from a critical standpoint the therapeutic 

 effects supposed to be derivable from the use of fermented milks, and 

 more especially from milk that has been fermented through the use of 

 the B. hulgaricus recommended by Professor MetchnikoS and now 

 widely employed in the .production of lacto-bacilline. I believe that at 

 the present time there exists a considerable confusion of mind as to 

 what may or may not reasonably be expected in the way of therapeutic 

 results from the use of milk which has undergone lactic acid fermenta- 

 tion. It is the object of this paper to consider briefly the elements 

 which should enter into the formation of a judgment as to the thera- 

 peutic efficacy of lacto-bacilline and allied milk products. 



In order to be able to form an unimpeachable judgment on the 

 therapeutic action of a fermented milk, it is necessary that experi- 

 ments of a very painstaking sort should be carried on in a number of 

 individuals for considerable periods of time. Experiments of a kind 

 calculated to furnish a firm scientific foundation for a rational use of 

 fermented milks have not yet been made. Such experiments in order 



