Koumiss.  629 
sary,  for  the  presence  of  propyl  alcohol  and  calculated  to  the 
original  volume,  gives  the  percentage  of  alcohol  present. 
This  method  will  detect  0-5  per  cent,  of  higher  alcohols  in  spirits 
of  wine.  Greater  sensitiveness  can  be  obtained  by  working  with  a 
larger  quantity  of  the  alcohol,  but  in  this  case  a  correction  must  be 
made  on  account  of  the  ethyl  acetate  formed  from  the  alcohol 
dissolved  by  the  carbon  bisulphide. 
KOUMISS.1 
By  D.  H.  Davies. 
Papers  upon  this  subject  have  from  time  to  time  appeared  in  the 
Journal,  but  it  is  curious  to  note  how  careful  most  of  the  authors 
have  been  to  evade  giving  detailed  particulars  regarding  the  diffi- 
culties that  have  to  be  surmounted  in  the  manufacture  of  aerated 
milk  preparations. 
The  original  Koumiss  is  the  Russian,  made  from  mare's  milk, 
which  is  used  for  the  obvious  reason  that  it  is  less  rich  in  casein 
and  fatty  matter  than  cow's  milk,  and  therefore  far  more  easy  of 
digestion. 
Mare's  milk  contains  approximately  1-70  per  cent,  of  casein,  and 
1-40  per  cent,  of  fatty  matter,  whereas  cow's  milk  contains  4-55  of 
casein  and  3-70  of  fatty  matter. 
I  think  I  am  correct  in  stating  that  cow's  milk  is  universally  used 
in  this  country,  and  it  answers  the  purpose  admirably  in  most 
instances,  but  a  better  preparation  is  obtained  by  diluting  with 
water  to  reduce  the  percentage  of  casein,  etc. 
Mare's  milk  contains  8-75  of  milk  sugar,  cow's  milk  only  5-35  ;  it 
is  therefore  necessary  to  add  some  of  this  to  our  preparation.  The 
following  formula  answers  very  well.    Take  of — 
Fresh  milk,    12  oz. 
Water,   4  oz. 
Brown  sugar,    giiss. 
Compressed  yeast,     .  .   gr.  xxiv. 
Milk  sugar,   3  iij . 
Dissolve  the  milk  sugar  in  the  water,  add  to  the  milk,  rub  the 
yeast  and  brown  sugar  down  in  a  mortar  with  a  little  of  the  mixture, 
then  strain  into  the  other  portion.     Strong  bottles  are  very  essen- 
Am.  Jour.Pharni. 
Dec. ,  1892. 
1Fromthe  Pharmaceutical  Journal  and  Transactions,  Oct.  15,  1892,  p.  301. 
