DIRTY MILK 87 



bacillus that has the power of ruining the taste of freshly 

 drawn milk in a few hours. 



When milk putrefies it is also known as the alkaline fer- 

 mentation of milk. Such milk has a bitter taste and a soft, 

 slimy curd. The principal causes of putrefaction in milk 

 is the ascendancy of the sporebearing groups of bacilli 

 belonging to and resembling the common hay bacillus. 1 



Alcoholic fermentation of milk 



This is an abnormal fermentation which sometimes oc- 

 curs as a result of certain yeasts aided in their action by 

 certain species of bacteria. Alcoholic fermentation of milk 

 never occurs spontaneously, but may be induced by direct 

 inoculations with certain ferments, such as those employed 

 in the production of koumiss and kefir. 



Koumiss was originally made from mare's milk. In this 

 country it is made from cow's milk with the addition of 

 cane-sugar and yeast. 



Kefir is a similar beverage originating hi the Caucasus, 

 where the fermentation is carried out in leather bottles and 

 is started by means of kefir grains which contain yeasts 

 and various micro-organisms. 



The excretion of drugs and other substances in milk 



The following drugs taken by the mouth have been 

 found in the milk of nursing mothers: aspirine, iodine, 

 mercury (calomel), arsenious acid, potassium bromide, and 

 probably urotropine (hexamethylamine), salicylic acid and 

 salicitates, ether, antipyrine, etc. The list of such drugs 

 is very long. It is probable that opium and other alkaloids, 

 all the volatile oils, purgative salts, rhubarb, and similar 

 drugs are excreted, to a certain extent, in the milk. 



It is well known how readily the flavor of milk is affected 

 by turnips, garlic, wild onions, mouldy hay and grain, 

 damaged ensilage, and distillery waste. The practical im- 

 1 See putrefaction, p. 83. 



