212 DIGESTIBILITY 



product is free from all forms of germ life. The only exception 

 to this rule would apply to concentrated milk, in the manufacture 

 of which the milk is not heated to temperatures detrimental to 

 the life of bacteria. 



Digestibility. In this discussion of the digestibility of con- 

 densed milk it is assumed, that the condensed milk, unless used 

 in admixture with other foods, is diluted to approximately the 

 consistency of normal milk. If consumed as a drink, similar to 

 milk but without proper dilution, its concentration, and con- 

 sequent excessive richness, would obviously seriously interfere 

 with digestion. While there are no experimental data available 

 concerning the digestibility of condensed milk, the results of 

 feeding experiments with heated, pasteurized or sterilized milk 

 vs. raw milk, may furnish a logical guide as to the dietetic effect 

 of condensed milk. Milk pasteurized at high temperatures, or 

 sterilized, may be considered comparable, as far as the effect of 

 heat is concerned, to condensed milk. 



Doane and Price 1 report the following experimental results : 

 "Raw milk is more easily digested when fed to calves than either 

 pasteurized, or cooked milk. Contrary to theory, cooked milk, 

 when fed to the calves used in these experiments, caused violent 

 scouring in the majority of trials. A majority of physicians in 

 charge of children's hospitals corresponded with, favored the use 

 of raw milk for infants when the milk is known to be in perfect 

 condition, but favored pasteurized milk under ordinary condi- 

 tions. With one exception all the physicians corresponded with, 

 discouraged the use of cooked, or sterilized milk for infant 

 feeding." 



Rosenau* states that "Comparative observations upon in- 

 fants under the same conditions show that they flourish quite as 

 well upon heated milk as upon raw milk. Laboratory experi- 

 ments as well as clinical observations coincide with the view, 

 that heated milk is quite as digestible as raw milk. In fact it is 

 now claimed to be more so. Metabolism experiments indicate 

 that the utilization of calcium and iron in the body is more com- 

 plete in children fed upon boiled cow's milk, than in those fed 

 upon raw cow's milk. 



1 Doane and Price, Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 

 No. 77, 1901. 



Rosenau, United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal 

 Industry, Circular No. 153, 1910. 



