Am.  Jour.  Pham . 
June,  1880. 
Koumys. 
alcohol.  But  still  while  following  the  directions  of  some  of  the  above 
•quoted  authorities,  I  found  my  koumys  soon  to  curd  and  sour — a  most 
•unsightly  article,  whose  acetous  odor  forbade  its  use. 
As  I  was  inspecting,  one  day,  the  fermenting  rooms  of  one  of  our 
larger  breweries,  I  was  struck  by  the  low,  icy  temperature  maintained 
there,  and  on  inquiry  was  informed  that  if  the  temperature  were 
allowed  to  rise  the  fermentation  would  be  sure  to  prove  wild,  signify- 
ing sour  or  acetous  fermentation.  This  showed  me  at  once  the  rea- 
sons of  my  former  failures,  and  when  I  applied  the  principle  involved 
to  mv  own  koumys,  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  drawing  from  my  bottles 
a  rich  creamy,  homogeneous  liquid,  slightly  acidulated,  foaming  like 
the  choicest  soda  water,  of  an  agreeable  taste,  such  as  I  exhibit  here 
.a  specimen  of,  and  some  of  which  has  been  used  by  many  physicians 
in  their  practices  with  excellent  results,  proving  a  sustaining  nutriment 
which  was  readily  borne  by  even  the  weakest  stomachs. 
In  concluding,  I  give  the  formula  employed  by  me,  by  which  I  am  cer- 
tain every  pharmacist  can  produce  a  good  and  reliable  article,  at  a  rea- 
sonable cost,  which,  with  a  remedy  consumed  in  such  quantities  as  this, 
is  of  no  small  importance,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  nothing  would  bar 
even  its  dispensing  as  a  beverage  at  our  soda  fountains. 
Take  of  grape  sugar  half  an  ounce  \  dissolve  in  four  ounces  of  water. 
In  about  two  ounces  of  milk  dissolve  twenty  grains  of  Fleischman's 
compressed  yeast,  obtained  at  any  grocery  store,  or  else  well-washed 
and  pressed  out  brewers'  yeast.  Mix  the  two  in  a  quart  champagne 
bottle,  which  is  to  be  filled  with  good  cows'  milk  to  within  two  inches 
of  the  top  ;  cork  well,  and  secure  the  cork  with  strings  or  wire,  and 
place  in  an  ice  chest  or  cellar  at  a  temperature  of  50°F.,  or  less,  and 
agitate  three  times  a  day.  At  the  expiration  of  three  to  four  days  at 
the  latest,  the  koumys  is  ready  for  use,  and  should  not  then  be  kept 
longer  than  four  or  five  days. 
It  should  be  drawn  with  a  champagne  siphon  tap,  so  that  the  car- 
bonic acid  gas  may  be  retained  and  the  contents  will  not  entirely  escape 
on  opening  the  bottle. 
Philadelphia^  May,  1880. 
