170 PROTECTION OF THE CONSUMER. 



parts of cane sugar are dissolved in 5 quarts of .water ; I part 

 of quick lime is slaked in 3 parts of water, the coarse par- 

 ticles removed and the liquid is added to the sugar solution. 

 The whole is allowed to settle and the clear liquid is viscogen. 

 This viscogen is added to the pasteurized cream slowly, about 

 two-thirds enough being added to neutralize the acidity of 

 the cream. To determine this amount there is added to a 

 small measured quantity of the cream enough viscogen from 

 a burette (see Chapter IX.) to neutralize the acidity. The 

 amount of viscogen thus employed for the small sample of 

 cream makes it possible to calculate the amount needed per 

 liter to neutralize the acid. About two-thirds of this calcu- 

 lated amount of viscogen is added to the cream and this is 

 found to restore its viscosity. 



Of course, the addition of such material to the cream is 

 a manifest adulteration and would come under the con- 

 demnation generally given to adulterants. It is to be remem- 

 bered, however, that the viscogen is perfectly harmless, and, 

 indeed, that lime .water is frequently recommended to be 

 added to milk. But if viscogen were used in the public supply 

 it would be condemned as an adulterant, and its use is too 

 troublesome to be adopted by a small household. Viscogen 

 has, therefore, not proved to be of much practical value. 



Milk Thermophore. A somewhat ingenious application of 

 heat for protecting milk from the. growth of bacteria has 

 been recently invented. It is called the thermophore, and is 

 an apparatus for keeping the milk warm, depending upon a 

 peculiar property of acetate of sodium to give off much heat 

 while solidifying (209). The thermophore consists of a 

 double-walled vessel, in the inner compartment of which the 

 milk is placed in flasks. The space between the inner and 

 outer walls is filled with acetate of sodium. For use the 

 whole apparatus is heated to a temperature of boiling water, 

 which melts the acetate of sodium. It is then placed upon 

 some good non-conductor, the milk deposited inside and 



