vi] THE BACTERIA OF MILK 89 



actinobacter polymorphus, bacillus viscosus, 1 bacillus 

 lactis pituitosi, potato bacilli, streptococcus Holland- 

 icus, micrococcus JFreudenreichii, and bacterium Hessii? 

 as well as others. 



It must not be imagined, however, that the 

 nature of the fermentation is the same in all 

 these cases. They produce a widely different 

 effect on milk. Some induce only a slight amount 

 of sliminess, while others have a very much more 

 marked effect. The length of time they take to 

 effect this slimy condition differs widely, and the 

 products are also of a varied character. In some 

 cases the substance produced seems to resemble 

 cellulose in its nature, in others it seems to be of the 

 albuminoid order. Mannit, carbonic acid, lactic acid, 

 butyric acid, peptone, etc., are among the products. 

 Altogether, no less than eighteen distinct organisms 

 have been identified as associated with this slimy 

 fermentation. 



Bitter Milk. A very common fault in milk is 

 what is known as bitter milk. This may be, like 

 many other faults, due to a number of different causes, 

 but it is probably most commonly due to micro-organic 

 life. In the first place, it may be caused by the 

 nature of the food, which may contain some bitter 



1 In length from the simrffth to ^(nrth of an inch, and in 

 breadth from the -^Trnrth to ^-5^5- th of an inch. 



2 From the Wr^th to the ^imrth of an inch long, and 

 of an inch broad. 



