TESTING CREAM BY THE BABCOCK TEST QI 



moves the meniscus, leaving a straight surface as a 

 distinct boundary between the two liquids. This makes 

 it easily possible to read the top of the fat-column with 

 a satisfactory degree of accuracy. The operation of 

 using any of these solutions is simple ; a small amount 

 is dropped into the opening of neck of the bottle so as 

 to rest upon the column of fat. 



(1) Glymol is commonly known in commerce as 

 white mineral oil, (also sold under other names as 

 alboline, blancoline, glycoline, etc.), and is used as a 

 lubricant in typewriters, sewing-machines, etc. It 

 costs about 75 cents a gallon. It is a product formed 

 in the distillation of petroleum. It is a clear, colorless, 

 odorless and non-volatile oil. It can be obtained at 

 any drug-store. The glymol can be added to the test- 

 bottle just before the results are read. The line of 

 division between glymol and the top of the fat-column 

 can be made sharper by coloring the glymol. One 

 ounce of crushed alkanet root (obtainable at drug- 

 stores) is wrapped in a small piece of cheese-cloth, 

 placed in one quart of glymol, and left for a day or 

 two. The glymol takes on a bright cherry color. Its 

 use has been thoroughly investigated by Hunziker. It 

 may be added that Standard Hand-Separator Oil, put 

 up by the Standard Oil Company, gives as good re- 

 sults as glymol. 



(2) Amyl alcohol, colored red with fuchsin, has 

 been proposed by Eckles. It is less useful than glymol, 

 since amyl alcohol may give a reading somewhat low 

 on account of dissolving a small amount of fat. 



(3) Alcohol saturated with fat has been used at 

 the Wisconsin Station. It is made by shaking a tea- 



