Section III, 1887. 



[ 35 ] 



Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada. 



V. — The Analysis of Milk. 



By W. H. Ellis. 



(Read May 25, 1887.) 



Modern milk analysis in England and America, dates from the appearance of Mr. 

 Wanklyn's work in 1873. In that work, he asserted the constancy of the composition of 

 cow's milk, and particularly the constancy of the sum of the solid constituents other than 

 fat— the fat being the most variable portion of the milk. This composition he gave as 

 follows : — 



It follows, that the normal specific gravity of milk is, according to Wanklyn, 1-029. 



The process which he used and recommended, consisted in drying 5 cc. of milk on a 

 water bath for three hours, and weighing the total solids, burning the residue at a low, 

 red heat, and weighing the ash ; drying 10 cc. for one hour, pouring on the residue ether, 

 heating to the boiling point and pouring off the ether through a small filter, repeating 

 this three times, and after evaporating the ether, weighing the fat. He asserted that 

 country-fed milk, so treated, yields not less than 9-3 per cent, of solids and 3-2 per cent, of 

 fat. He adds, there is an exceptionally rich milk given by stall-fed cows in town. This 

 milk contains lO'O parts of solids not fat, 4-0 parts of fat, and 86'0 per cent, of water, but 

 it is comparatively rare. 



