SO-CALLED ' BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES ' OF MILK 99 



The evidence is not quite in agreement as to the presence of 

 this substance in cows' milk, although every observer who has 

 studied its presence in human milk is convinced that the reaction 

 is always obtained. 



Moro (3) (1902) believed that the reaction is not affected by boil- 

 ing, but there is some doubt whether it is due to ferment action. 



Other observers 1 believed that the reaction of the fluid played 

 a part in the production of the reaction, while Rullmann (4) (1911), 

 using initially sterile cows' milk, was unable to detect any salolase 

 and concluded that the reaction, when found, is due to the presence 

 of bacteria. 



For further information reference can be had to Spolverini (2), 

 Luzzati and Biolchini, Friedjung and Hecht, Pozzi-Escot, A. J. J. 

 Vandevelde (2), Grimmer (i), and Usener. 



In view of the absence of salol in both cows' and human milk 

 the splitting of this substance by human milk does not appear to 

 be of any importance for the present work. 



Short resumes of the work of most of the authors referred to 

 throughout this chapter will be found in my report to the L.G.B., 

 New Series, No. 76. 



On an Increase in the Ferment Content of Milk in Abnormal 

 Conditions. There is evidence to show that certain of the ferments 

 normally present in milk as a result of filtration through from the 

 blood stream, are increased in conditions which are connected with 

 an abnormal condition of the gland and possibly also of the cow. 

 Such conditions arise towards the end of lactation, when the milk 

 assumes a character frequently approximating to that of serum, 

 and also in conditions of inflammation of the udder, or mastitis. 



Thus Kostler believed that a high catalase content in freshly 

 collected milk denoted illness of the cow. He pointed out, how- 

 ever, that a high content in fresh milk must not be confused with 

 the catalase content of milk which had been allowed to stand, when 

 the catalase would probably be due to bacterial action. 



Sassenhagen found a more powerful reaction with Schardinger's 

 reagent when mastitis was present than was the case in ordinary 

 milk. 



Vollrath investigated the ferment content of milk from fifty- 

 four cows, some of whom had disease of the udder, others being 

 the victims of a general malady. He found, generally, no change 

 in the amount of peroxidase present, but there was frequently a 

 definite rise in the amount of reductase and catalase. This occurred 

 in cases also of foot-and-mouth disease. This author does not 

 consider that the change in the ferment content is sufficiently 

 definite to admit of a diagnosis of the presence of disease. 



Trommsdorff also investigated the presence of ferments in 

 cases of acute and chronic mastitis. He agrees that the alteration 



1 Cp. Desmoulieres, Miele and Willem. 



H a 



