22 



HlSTORV AND Dl-;vF,LOPMENT 



condensed milk, sterilized by heat and sold in hermetically sealed 

 cans). While, for several years before the organization of this 

 company, the possibilities of producing a sterile unsweetened con- 

 densed milk were essayed in laboratory investigations by scientists, 

 and while simultaneously with the commencement of oj)erations of 

 this company, several other companies also experimented on this 

 form of condensed milk, the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company 

 was the first organization that succeeded in producing a marketable 

 unsweetened condensed milk that was sterile and would keep in- 

 definitely. 



Fig. 5. John B. Meyenberg 



The rudiments of the process of evaporated, sterilized milk 

 were introduced by Mr. John B. Meyenberg, a native of Switzer- 

 land, who formerly was operator in the mother plant of the Anglo- 

 Swiss Condensed Milk Co. at Cham, Switzerland. Mr. Meyenberg, 

 being a man with an inventive turn of mind, experimented on the 

 evaporation and sterilization of milk, during the years 1880 to 1883. 

 As the result of these experiments he decided that it was possible 

 to preserve milk, without the aid of sugar. Migrating to this 

 country, he applied for, and was granted a patent on his idea of 

 jjreserving milk by sterilization, by the United States Government 

 in 1884 (Patent No. 308,422), and again in 1887 (Patent No. 

 358,213). Mr. Meyenberg was also granted patent rights (Patent 

 No. 308,421) on apparatus for preserving milk. 



