DR. ERIC PRITCHARD'S PAPER 309 



The best known variety of desiccated milk, and 

 the one I first employed in Marylebone, is prepared 

 by the Just-Hatmaker process. By this process the 

 milk is rapidly dried on the surface of revolving 

 cylinders heated to a temperature of 130 to 145 C., 

 and subsequently pulverized. Some manufacturers add 

 glucose, bicarbonate of sodium, chalk, phosphate of 

 sodium, or other chemical bodies, to increase the 

 solubility of the finished product. By these manipu- 

 lations the physical and chemical properties of the 

 milk are profoundly altered. The whey albumens 

 are coagulated and the caseinogen is so modified that 

 its coagulum takes the form of a flocculent clot not 

 unlike that of breast milk ; the fat is partly thrown 

 out of emulsion and floats in large droplets on the 

 surface of the reconstituted milk. When allowed to 

 stand the latter further separates into layers which 

 can be distinguished by their colour and physical 

 appearance. This, no doubt, is due to a change in 

 the colloidal properties of the milk consequent on the 

 absence of soluble whey proteins. Dried milk of this 

 kind dissolves well in hot, but imperfectly in cold water. 

 The net result of these changes is that the recon- 

 stituted milk is more digestible than natural cow's 

 milk, a property which makes it valuable in the feeding 

 of delicate infants, but carries with it the disadvantage 

 that it inadequately develops the gastric functions. 

 Although, as regards nutrition, the general results 

 are good, I am inclined to think that infants fed 

 continuously on this jnilk do not show the same 

 vigour and vitality which are shown by infants 

 supplied with natural milk, or with a dried milk which 

 approximates more closely to the raw product. 

 Although cases of scurvy have not been reported by 

 others who have made use of this variety of dried 

 milk, 1 have myself seen cases which, on the principle 

 that "Naturam morborum curationes ostenclunt," must 

 be regarded as mild examples of the disease. 



