n 



of this problem has practically been proved by some manufacturers 

 in Switzerland and Germany. It is also a fact that now even bet- 

 ter preparations are in the market than correspond to the average 

 composition given above. 



In the face of these facts, it is astonishing that the milk-food 

 of least rational composition, JN'estle's, is yet the one vsrhich phy- 

 sicians generally recommend. Analyses of five chemists : F. Hof- 

 mann, J. Konig, Miiller, P. Radenhausen and N. Gerber, give for 

 the same, on the average, the following composition : 



Average of 

 • Nestle' s. all Milk-foods. 



Water 6.74 7.50 



Salts 1.77 2.25 



Fat 4.20 5.50 



Albuminates 9.75 13.25 



Carbohydrates 76.92 70.00 



The difference in the most important factor, the albumen, is 

 sufficient to show the great improvements made by others. 



Author considers it of vital importance that a rationally com- 

 pounded infants' milk,-food should contain at least 



2 per cent, salts, 

 5 per cent, fat, and 

 13 per cent, albuminates, 



and that manufacturers should be compelled to adopt this standard. 



Practice has taught that such milk-foods can be manufactured. 

 Careful investigations have proved that, for a rational food, it is 

 of greater importance to adhere to a certain proportion of albu- 

 men, fat, and salts, to the carbohydrates, than to consider the 

 shape in which these carbohydrates are presented. It is for this 

 reason that the author is in favor of the delations of the main con- 

 stituents as they have been given above. 



Indigestion with children will increase, when a food is lacking 

 in albumen, but contains, in its place, soluble carbohydrates ; the 

 first is, therefore, of greater importance than the latter. 



If a sanitary governmental control of milk-foods should be in- 

 troduced, as it has been done already for milk, it is evident that 

 each manufacturer will be compelled to work better and on a more 

 rational plan, than is frequently done at the present time. It is 



