388  Preparation  of  Kefir  and  Koumis.  {Am-iugr/imrm' 
PREPARATION  OF  KEFIR  AND  OF  KOUMIS. 
By  Dr.  Rogelmann,  of  Graz. 
Milk- wine,  or  kefir,  may  be  made  by  the  following  method :  One 
volume  of  buttermilk  is  to  be  mixed  with  one  to  two  volumes  of 
sweet  milk,  poured  in  a  bottle,  and  allowed  to  stand.  In  three  .hours 
active  fermentation  will  set  in,  which  in  about  three  days  will  be  at 
an  end.  The  product  is  a  fluid  smelling  like  wine,  and  containing 
alcohol,  carbonic  acid,  lactic  acid,  and  casein.  The  following  pre- 
cautions are  to  be  observed  in  this  in  every  way  simple  and  inexpen- 
sive procedure.  The  sweet  milk  used  ought  not  to  be  wholly  freed 
from  the  cream,  and  the  bottles  ought  to  be  of  a  size  that  the  milk 
fills  only  two-thirds  of  them.  The  fermenting  milk  is  to  be  shaken 
daily  vigorously  (about  two  or  three  times),  during  which  manipula- 
tion a  cork  is  to  be  placed  firmly  in  the  bottle,  but  removed  after  the 
shaking,  in  order  to  allow  the  carbonic  acid  to  escape.  The  opened 
bottle  is  to  be  placed  in  a  horizontal  position,  at  least  twice  daily,  for 
a  period  of  ten  minutes,  in  order  to  let  fresh  air  take  the  place  of 
carbonic  acid,  and  to  thus  prevent  the  stoppage  of  fermentation.  If 
a  very  effervescent  liquid  be  desired,  the  bottles  are  toward  the  close 
of  the  fermentation  process  allowed  to  stand  continuously  in  a  per- 
pendicular position.  In  order  to  obtain  new  quantities  of  this  "niilk- 
wine,"  we  add  to  a  certain  quantity  of  sweet  milk  one-fifth  its 
volume  of  millt  thus  fermented,  and  are  so  able  to  continue  this 
production  ad  libitum.  The  most  favorable  temperature  for  the 
preparation  of  this  milk- wine  is  15°  (C). 
Koumis  may  be  made  in  the  following  way: — A  pint  of  butter- 
milk or  a  bottle  of  koumis  is  added  to  a  gallon  of  new  milk  in  a 
basin.  This  is  stirred  steadily  round  in  one  direction  for  a  quarter- 
of-au-hour,  and  covered  up  for  twelve  hours,  when  it  is  again  stirred 
in  the  same  direction  for  another  quarter-of-an-hour.  It  then  stands 
for  twelve  hours  more,  covered  up  from  dust,  when  it  is  put  in  cham- 
pagne bottles,  and  the  c  >rks  tied  down.  After  a  few  days  it  can  be 
used,  being  well  shaken  before  opening,  and  care  being  exercised  in 
opening  the  bottles. — Med.  Chronicle,  June. — D.  Mediz.  Ztg.,  Jan.  14, 
1886. 
Caffeine  in  infection  of  01  gm.  was  successfully  used  by  Dr.  A.  Langgard 
in  a  case  of  poisoning  by  curare.  He  further  recommends  caffeine  in  poison- 
ing by  conine. — D.  med.  Woch.,  No.  12,  1886. 
