K. DOMESTIC AND HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 485 



mentation. Bechamp, in opposition, affirms that in the fer- 

 mentation of 62:2:8 the albuminoid substances remain unal- 

 tered ; and he is prepared to show that in the souring of milk 

 the caseine and other albuminoid substances remain undis- 

 turbed and with all their essential properties. He has been 

 able to determine a rotatory property in caseine, fourfold 

 that of pure albumen. 6 ^, Ifarch 31, 1873, 838. 



EFFECT OF SUNLIGHT ON FLOUR. 



It is maintained that the inferior quality of certain kinds of 

 wheat and rye flour is frequently due to the action of sunlight 

 on the flour ; even when in bags or barrels, the gluten experi- 

 ences a change similar to that occasioned by heating in the 

 mill. The tendency thus imparted to it, to become lumpy, 

 and to form dough without toughness, is similar to that of 

 flour from moist grain, or of flour when it is too fresh, or 

 made from grain ground too early, or when adulterated with 

 cheaper barley meal. Sucli flour can be improved by keep- 

 ing for some weeks. 10 O, February 1, 1873, 30. 



TO PREPARE EELS FOR COOKING. 



By pouring a mixture of vinegar and salt over eels, in a 

 suitable vessel, they are not only instantly killed, but, if al- 

 lowed to remain in the liquid for a short time, the skin gela- 

 tinizes; and if cooked in this condition they are better flavor- 

 ed than when skinned. The skin can readily be removed at 

 the table by any one not desiring to eat it. 10 (7, September^ 

 1872,140. 



ADULTERATION OF MILK. 



According to Mr. J. Alfred Wanklyn, the most common 

 modes of adulteration of milk consist in removing the cream 

 in greater or less quantity, and in adding water; and conse- 

 quently the testing of milk resolves itself essentially into the 

 detection of the skimmincj and watering:, and the measurinir 

 of the extent to which these operations have been carried. 

 For this purpose, he finds it most satisfactory first to estimate 

 accurately the normal composition of milk, or at least the 

 average limits of variation in this respect, and then to find 

 out what deviation from this average is presented by any 

 given sample. 



