214 PRACTICAL DAIRY BACTERIOLOGY 



smaller quantity of low grade butter produced. The general 

 result has been a raising of the average by a reduction in the 

 amount of poor butter rather than by an improvement in the 

 best grades of butter. In some creamery exhibits it has been 

 'found that the starter butter scores on 'the average two points 

 higher than butter made without a starter. Very little choice 

 is found between the commercial starters and the home starters, 

 either of them producing a good butter and an improvement 

 over butter ripened without a starter. 



BUTTERMILK 



In somewhat recent times buttermilk has come to be recom- 

 mended somewhat widely as an article of diet for weak 

 children or invalids. Buttermilk has always been used as a 

 drink, but not until recently has it been regarded as of special 

 dietetic value. The recommendation of buttermilk for children 

 and invalids is a very striking comment upon the impression 

 that bacteria are necessarily harmful. Buttermilk contains bac- 

 teria in quantities, practically as many as are in cream when 

 ripened. The number will be from 200,000,000 to 500,000,000 

 per c.c., and sometimes very much higher than this. That such 

 material, containing bacteria in these great numbers, can be 

 recommended for children is demonstration beyond question that 

 instead of being harmful the bacteria may be useful to human 

 beings. The presence of acid bacteria in the human intestines 

 seems necessary to control the normal process of digestion. If 

 these acid germs are not present, the contents of the intestines 

 are much more liable to undergo putrefaction, thus producing 

 trouble. For this reason the taking of large numbers of acid 

 organisms into the stomach seems to be very useful. 1 Butter- 

 milk is usually almost a pure culture of lactic acid bacteria, and 

 as such it can be used to very great advantage in cases where 

 acid organisms are needed in the intestines. The same will be 



iBienstock. Ann. d. 1'Iiist. Past., xiv., ]>. 750, lyOO. 



