CHAPTER XIII 

 FERMENTED MILK (Rogers) 



Within recent years there has been a rapidly growing inter- 

 est in the therapeutic value of buttermilk and other fermented 

 milks, such as kefir, kumiss, and yogurt. This is seen in the 

 increasing sale of buttermilk, in the large number of special 

 preparations now offered for sale, and in the frequent discus- 

 sion of this subject in popular and scientific publications. But- 

 termilk is not only consumed in large quantities as a beverage, 

 but is recommended by physicians as a therapeutic agent in 

 the treatment of intestinal disorders, and is in constant use in 

 many hospitals. 



All the more familiar fermented milks are the result of an 

 acid fermentation in which the sugar of the milk is split up 

 into lactic acid. This may be brought about by the presence 

 in the milk of varieties of the common lactic acid group of 

 bacteria, or, as in the case of yogurt, by special organisms ; or a 

 yeast may be present, adding an alcoholic to the ordinary acid 

 fermentation. 



In many large cities special fermented milk preparations 

 can be obtained under various trade names, such as zoulak, 

 vitallac, yogurt, matzoon, bacillac, kefir, kumiss, and lacto- 

 baciline. These are all soured milks which have been intro- 

 duced from southern Russia, Turkey, and neighboring coun- 

 tries. They are sold as freshly prepared milk, or in the form 

 of tablets or powders in capsules which may be taken as such 

 or used to ferment milk. These preparations have been widely 

 advertised and are the subject of very positive statements in 

 regard to the benefits derived from their use. 



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