FERMENTED MILK 



503 



that their troubles ascribed to variations in these conditions 

 are more likely attributable to imperfectly controlled bacte- 

 riological factors. 



There was at one time much interest in kumiss as a thera- 

 peutic agent in the treatment of tuberculosis, and sanatoria were 

 established in Russia where invalids could get this treatment. 

 It is probable that the benefits, real or imaginary, derived from 

 it come more from the general methods, which correspond 

 somewhat to present practices, than from the action of kumiss. 



Mare's milk is lower in nutritive value than cow's milk, as the 

 following table, taken from Richmond's Dairy Chemistry, shows : 



Average Composition op Cow's Milk and Mare's Milk 





Water 



Fat 



Sugar 



Casein 



Albumin 



Ash 



Cow ...... 



Mare 



Per cent 



87.10 

 90.06 



Per cent 



3.90 

 1.09 



Per cent 



4.75 

 6.65 



Per cent Per cent 



3.00 0.40 

 1.89 



Per cent 



0.75 

 .31 



The composition of kumiss varies somewhat with the age, 

 the rapidity of the fermentation, and the nature and extent 

 of contamination with extraneous organisms. The following 

 analysis is taken from Richmond's Dairy Chemistry (p. 241) : 



Composition of Kumiss made from Mare's Milk 



Water 

 Alcohol 

 Lactic acid 

 Sugar . . 

 Casein 

 Albumin . 

 Albumose 

 Fat . . 

 Ash . . 



1 Day Old 8 Days Old 22 Days Old 



Per cent 



91.43 



2.67 

 .77 



1.63 

 .77 

 .25 

 .98 



1.16 

 .35 



Per cent 



92.12 



2.93 



1.08 



.50 



.85 



.27 



.76 



1.12 



.35 



Per cent 



92.07 



2.98 



1.27 



.23 



.83 



.24 



.77 



1.30 



.35 



