96 MILK AND ITS HYGIENIC RELATIONS 



Other observers consider there may be some connection between 

 the leucocytes and the amount of catalase, but this cannot be 

 considered as definitely proven. 1 



Catalase in Human Milk. Catalase appears not to be uni- 

 versally present in human milk although it has been found in 

 small quantities in the majority of samples examined. Friedjung 

 and Hecht found that while great variety in amount was exhibited, 

 the amount being always small, the general average was increased 

 in milk having colostral characteristics or in the last portions of 

 milk taken from the gland, i.e. in that which is richest in fat. 

 V. d. Velden believed there was some degree of relationship between 

 the cell content and the catalase, while the Tordays, working 

 together, believed that the catalase content depended in some 

 measure upon the health of the mother, being less when the mother 

 was in good health. All observers, however, agree that wide varia- 

 tions exist in the amount of catalase present, and clinically no 

 relationship has been able to be traced between the nutrition of 

 the infant and the amount of catalase present in the milk of its 

 mother. 



For further information the work of Raudnitz (i), Luzzati and 

 Biolchini, Marfan and Gillet, Friedjung and Hecht, Jolles, Bier, 

 van der Velden and E. and A. Torday should be compared. 



On the Amount of Catalase as determining the Quality of the 

 Milk. Efforts have been made to establish a standard for the 

 amount of catalase which should be regarded as normal, or the 

 amount which should be regarded as rendering milk unfit for use, 

 the catalase content being taken as denoting the presence of certain 

 definite numbers of bacteria. No exact standard has been reached, 

 although such have been recommended by numerous observers, 

 and several authors agree upon the standard which should be 

 observed. 



Raudnitz (4) (1903) showed that the amount of catalase present 

 in milk was very variable, as did also Koning. Lam, using 10 c.c. 

 of milk and 5 c.c. of i per cent. H 2 O 2 , considered that if more than 

 from 0*3 to i c.c. of oxygen were evolved the milk was not good. 

 Gerber and Ottiker, using 9 c.c. of milk and 3 c.c. of i per cent. 

 H 2 O 2 , gave the standard which might be allowed as from 2-5 to 

 3 c.c. of oxygen. If this amount was exceeded they believed 

 that there was probably a considerable amount of dirt in the milk 

 or that the cow was diseased. Heygendorff and Meurer, and 

 Schroeter were unable to obtain any satisfactory standard which 

 could be used for the number of bacteria present. The irregularity 

 of the figures is shown by Schroeter, who gives the following : 



Bacterial Count Sediment Figure Oxygen given off 



11,775,000 -25 6-5 c.c. 



12,000,000 "3 2.25 C.C. 



1 Cp. Jensen, Barthel (i), Bertin-Sans and Ganjoux (i). 



