KEPHIR. 



209 



Wiley gives the following mean composition of koumiss pre- 

 pared in America : — 



Watt-r. 



Carbon dioxide, 

 Alcohol, 

 Lactic acid. 

 Proteins, 

 Fat, . 

 Sugar, 



89-32 per cent. 

 0-83 

 0-76 

 0-4V 

 2-5C 

 2-0.3 

 4-38 



Koumiss lias the advantage of being a food and a stimulant 

 at the same time ; and is, for this reason, often prescribed by 

 the medical faculty in cases of disease {cfj., gastritis) when no 

 other food can be retained. 



Kephir. — This is a preparation of a similar nature to koumiss 

 and is produced from milk by means of kephir grains. 



The following is the composition of kephir according to various 

 authorities : — 



Kephir differs from koumiss chiefly iu the comparatively 

 small amount of proteoses it contains, showing that, although 

 the alcoholic and lactic fermentations have taken place, the 

 protein-hydrolytic fermentation is very weak. 



Struvo found in kephir grains : — 



