Milk. 159 



The natives of the highest part of the Caucasian Moun- 

 tains prepare a similar drink from the milk of cows and 

 goals which they call "kephir." They make it by adding 

 to fresh milk in goatskin bottles a peculiar ferment which is 

 also called kephir. This substance is described as consist- 

 ing of white or yellow balls of different sizes with an irre- 

 gularly fun-owed surface. They look like little cauliflowers 

 and are often as big as waluuts. As to the origin of this 

 ferment we know nothing. The mountaineers themselves 

 have only various legends concerning it. 



The balls after setting up fermentation in fresh milk grow 

 and are removed, when the preparation of the kephir is 

 complete, dried in the sun and used again for a fresh lot. 

 The method of preparation and character of kephir are 

 entirely similar to those of koumiss. l 



ANALYSIS OF KOUMISS AND KEPHIR. 



Wencki & Fabian (Polish Chemists.) 



Koumiss. Kephir. 



Days Old. 1. 2. sP 1. 2. 3. 



Specific gravity 1-041 1-037 .... 1-032 1.026 .... 



Albuminoids 2-31 2-62 279 3-93 4-15 370 



Alcohol 0-56 1-42 241 0-41 0-81 1-20 



Lactic acid 0-45 0*56 078 0-51 0-43 0-83 



Carbon dioxide 0-10 012 0-35 0-03 0-03 0.1G 



Sugar 4-02 2-45 1-25 2-04 182 1-37 



Ash 0-52 0-50 0"48 0"G1 0-68 0'68 



The salts of milk are chiefly phosphates, chlorides and 

 sulphates of potash, soda, lime and magnesia with a trace 

 of iron. Lactic acid is generally present in milk, though it 

 is doubtful whether it is contained in perfectly fresh milk. 

 The quantity increases quickly on keeping from the fer- 

 mentation of the sugar. It is an interesting discover}' of 

 quite recent date that cow's milk contains about 1 gramme 

 per litre of citric acid, the acid of lemons. A good milk cow 

 will afford daily as much citric acid as is contained in two 

 or three lemons. 



1 Kaunhals, Jahrsber, f. Thier Chem-, 1884, p. 191. 



