574 
The  Koumis  Cure. 
f  Am.  Joub.Pha.rm. 
i    Dec.  1,1874. 
koumis  itself.  A  certain  proportion  (one-third)  of  koumis  is  poured 
together  with  (two-thirds  of)  fresh  mare's  milk  into  a  clean  wooden 
vessel  resembling  an  ordinary  English  churn,  and  there  left  for  from 
six  to  eighteen  hours,  according  to  the  degree  of  (alcoholic)  strength 
that  is  required.  During  this  period  it  is  from  time  to  time  subjected 
to  a  churning  process,  with  the  object  of  keeping  up  and  stimulating 
the  process  of  fermentation.  Herein  consists  the  chief  art,  and  what- 
ever secret  there  may  be  in  koumis-making  is  to  know  the  exact  amount 
of  churning  required  ;  for,  although  a  certain  amount  is  requisite,  it 
must  be  suspended  at  the  point  where  curds  or  butter  would  be  formed. 
Habit  and  practice  alone  teach  this  to  the  koumis-maker.  After  this 
fermenting  process,  stimulated  by  the  occasional  churning,  has  lasted 
a  certain  time,  say  six  hours,  a  portion  of  the  contents  of  the  churn 
is  drawn  off,  and  this  constitutes  the  weakest  kind  of  koumis,  say 
koumis  of  the  first  degree  of  strength.  The  remainder  in  the  churn 
is  subjected  to  a  further  period  of  similar  fermentation  and  churning, 
say  for  another  six  hours,  and  then  the  churn  is  again  tapped,  and 
koumis  of  the  second  degree  of  strength  is  the  result.  Then  another 
period  of  say  six  hours  of  a  similar  process  for  what  still  remains  in 
the  churn,  and  this,  when  drawn  off,  constitutes  koumis  of  the  third 
degree  of  strength.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  difference  in  the 
degree  of  strength  of  the  koumis  consists  in  the  different  amount  of 
fermentation  to  which  it  has  been  subjected.  The  strength  of  the 
koumis  ought  to  be  graduated  according  to  the  requirements  of  dif- 
ferent patients,  and  this  is  a  matter  of  some  importance  in  the  case 
of  invalids.  As  soon  as  the  koumis  is  drawn  off  it  is  poured  into 
ordinary  quart  bottles,  made  with  extra  strong  necks,  corked  down 
and  tightly  strung ;  for,  containing  as  it  does  large  quantities  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas,  it  is  subjected  to  the  explosive  accidents  of  all  such 
liquors.  Indeed,  the  inexperienced  koumis-drinker,  on  opening  a 
bottle  of  koumis  for  the  first  time,  if  he  is  lucky  enough  not  to  lose 
his  eye  by  the  explosion  of  the  cork,  will  most  undoubtedly  be  soused 
all  over  by  the  frothing  liquid. 
"  I  have  mentioned  that  the  koumis  itself  is  the  fermenting  element 
used  in  the  composition  of  koumis — one-third  koumis  for  two-thirds 
fresh  mare's  milk.  It  may  be  asked,  when  koumis  is  not  obtainable 
(as  at  the  beginning  of  the  koumis  season),  what  substitute  is  used  ? 
A  couple  of  tablespoonfuls  of  yeast  are  put  into  an  ordinary-sized 
quart  bottle,  filled  with  mare's  milk  which  is  allowed  to  ferment  for 
