Sedimentation Test. 



1. 5% suspension of washed blood corpuscles from guinea 

 pigs or rabbits in 0.85% salt solution. 



2. Hemolytic amboceptor of normal blood from cattle or 

 goats heated to 56 C. 



3. Milk. 



The milk is placed in tubes arranged in 2 rows of 5 tubes 

 each in quantities of 1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.1 and 0.0 c. c. respectively. 

 One row is inactivated by heating to 56 C. ; then in all the tubes 

 the contents are brought up to 1 c. c. by adding salt solution. Fur- 

 ther, to each tube are added 0.2 c. c. of the inactivated cattle or 

 goat serum- and 0.5 or 1 c. c. of the blood-cell suspension. The 

 rack is then placed for 2 hours in the incubator (shaken frequent- 

 ly) and placed over night in the icebox. 



Hemolysis occurs in physiological and pathological irritations 

 of the udder. 



The test for amboceptors is carried out in a similar manner, 

 with the exception that the milk in all the tubes is inactivated, and 

 into the tubes of one row complement is added in quantities deter- 

 mined by titration. 



In the test for amboceptor and complement the various sub- 

 stances which enter into the test should be controlled for possible 

 errors. 



Trommsdorff's method is best adapted to determining the 

 quantity of centrifugal sediment in milk. 



The tubes which terminate at the bottom in a graduated capil- 

 lary tube (Trommsdorff's tubes) are filled with 10 c. c. of milk 

 and centrifugalized for several minutes in a centrifuge at about 

 1500 to 2000 revolutions per minute. All elements having the 

 greatest specific gravity collect in the capillary tube. 



All sediment of a yellow, clay or reddish color which does not 

 consist of cow manure and which is sharply separated from the 

 layer of skimmed milk irrespective of its quantity, should be sus- 

 pected as being due to an inflammation of the udder, since larger 

 quantities of tissue cells are thrown off only in pathological or 

 physiological irritations of the udder. In market milk this test 

 gives uncertain results, but in individual samples and in samples 

 of individual quarters the results may be well utilized. If the 

 centrifugalized sediment is not distinctly separated from the 

 skimmed milk, and the scale is therefore not readable, then the tube 

 is filled with clear, cool water and the capillary end is turned up- 

 ward. The water having a lower specific gravity, penetrates into 

 the capillary tube up to the border of the sediment. 



For testing of individual quarters the author recommends the 

 sedimentation test in tubes with chisel shaped ends and with 

 funnel shaped mouths. The milk is drawn directly into these tubes 

 from the quarter, after discarding the first milk. The four sam- 

 ples from a cow are allowed to stand for about 8 hours and then 



