66 ABNORMAL MILK 



It will be seen from the above table that the water content 

 of colostrum is less than that of normal milk. The fat content 

 is also a little lower. The most striking characteristics of colos- 

 trum, however, are the low content of sugar, and the large amount 

 of albumen. Of the latter substance very little is present in 

 normal milk. The mineral constituents of colostrum also run 

 quite high. Its specific gravity varies from 1.046 to 1.079. 

 When it is boiled, the nitrogenous matter coagulates. The 

 colostrum is not considered suitable for food until about four 

 days after parturition. Whenever it can be boiled without coag- 

 ulating, it is claimed to be safe to use. At times a cow's udder 

 becomes inflamed after calving. In such cases the abnormal 

 qualities of the cow's milk will extend over a greater period of 

 time than that mentioned above. 



Salty Milk. The average chemical analysis of salty milk as 

 calculated from results obtained by the analysis of such milk 

 from four cows, given by Boggild, 1 is as follows: 



Water 91 . 09 



Fat 2.09 



Nitrogenous matter 2 . 90 



Sugar 3.01 



Ash 85 



It has an average specific gravity of 1.0244. 



Salty milk does not occur very often, but whenever it does 

 occur, it is difficult, and, so far as known, impossible to cure 

 without drying up the cow. Two samples of such milk have 

 recently come within the authors' notice. It had the appearance 

 of normal milk, a foul smell, and a very salty taste. The two 

 samples contained 1.7 per cent and 1.9 per cent of fat respectively. 

 They soured and curdled in a normal way at living-room tem- 

 perature in about thirty hours. At this stage they were very 

 foul in smell, and unpleasant in taste. 



The cows which had produced this milk had both calved 

 about three months previously. It occurred in the month of 

 July, when pastures were quite good. The udders of the cows 



1 Maelkeribruget in Denmark. 



