THE ETHICS OF FOOD 



547 



effected as compared with the fatuous and empirical methods 

 of the traditional farmer. Indeed, the first feature that strikes 

 the informed observer on inspecting an ordinary milk-farm 

 is the incompetence of those in charge and the waste and 

 extravagance which are the inevitable accompaniments of 

 incompetent administration. Many instances of this could be 

 cited but a single one may suffice to show the kind of thing 

 that is quite characteristic of the ordinary methods. In a cer- 

 tain herd there was a remarkable cow yielding a milk of fine 

 quality in altogether exceptional amount — nearly twenty quarts 

 per diem. She was, in consequence, a valuable animal worth, 

 according to her milk-yield, over £30. The time came for 

 her to calve. Owing to the neglect of certain simple sanitary 

 precautions she developed puerperal sapraemia, with the result 

 that her milk entirely failed. She had then to be fattened for 

 the butcher and was sold for £12— a dead loss of some £20. 

 It is little matter for wonder if the farmer, in such circumstances, 

 finds milk production expensive and unprofitable. 



In connection with infants, however, the provision of pure 

 cows' milk is only one of the important measures necessary for 

 the providing of the infant with adequate food. 



Even if it be supposed that cows' milk and human milk 

 contain exactly the same materials and that there is nothing 

 in the one which is not in the other, the proportions are 

 markedly different, as is seen from the following comparison : 



Human Milk. 



Fat . 

 Milk-sugar 

 Proteins 

 Mineral salts 



Per cent. 

 4 'OO 

 7 'OO 

 1-50 

 C25 



Coins' Milk. 



Fat . 

 Milk-sugar. 

 Proteins 

 Mineral salts 



Per cent. 

 4"oo 

 4-50 



3'5o 



075 



It will at once be seen that the mere dilution of cows' milk 

 is an entirely inadequate method of adjusting the food ; for 

 while this may reduce the proteins to their normal amount, 

 the fat and the lactose are also diminished ; and as the fat is 

 present in the same amount as in human milk, whilst there 

 is less milk-sugar, the diminution of these is highly unde- 

 sirable. But in reality the difficulty is much greater than is 

 represented by these factors. 



Not only are the proteins much greater in amount in 

 cows' milk but the " caseinogen," the extremely indigestible 



