FERMENTED MILK 487 



that symptoms of autointoxication are not caused by unusual 

 bacterial activity in the intestine, but by functional failure of 

 certain organs. This point could be determined only by a 

 physician. It would be very unsafe to consume large quan- 

 tities of milk, fermented or unfermented, under certain patho- 

 logical conditions. In any case an important change in the 

 diet should be made only upon the advice of a physician. 



THE VARIOUS FORMS OF FERMENTED MILK 



If it is considered advisable to use cultures of acid-forming 

 bacteria, the form in which they are taken becomes an important 

 question. In large cities one usually has a choice of lactic acid 

 bacteria from several sources. Buttermilk is usually available, 

 although it is not always of good quality. Sometimes kumiss 

 or kefir can be obtained, and at the present time milk coagulated 

 with the so-called Metchnikoff bacillus is sold as yogurt or 

 matzoon and under various trade names. 



Cultures in tablet and capsule form 



In addition to these freshly prepared preparations several 

 tablets or capsules purport- 

 ing to be pure and active 

 cultures of the Bacillus bul- 

 garicus are now offered for 

 sale (see Fig. 88). These 

 are for use in fermenting 

 milk or are to be taken 

 directly in place of butter- ' io^i 



milk or yogurt. Herschell Fig. 88. — Organisms causing fermen- 



in his little book On the tat i° n °* mi lk. a, Bacillus bulgaricus ; 



b, lactic acid bacteria. 



therapeutic uses or soured 



milks recommends the use of these preparations in preference 



to fermented milk, but it should be noted that he is very ex- 



