Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-22 00:00:00

THE PRESERVATION OF MILK

In section B. of the British Association, at Aberdeen,
M. l'Abbe Meigne read the following paper " On the
Preservation of Milk" :

To preserve milk for an indefinite period is an import..
ant problem, which in France has been solved in three
different modes. M. De Villenence was the first to pre-
serve milk, solidifying it by the addition of certain solid
ingredients, but it was no longer, properly speaking,
milk. M. De. Signac preserved it by evaporating the
milk till it became of the consistence of syrup, rendering
it a sold mixture of milk and sugar, still it could not be
called milk. M. Maben also preserved it by excluding
the air and exposing it to an atmosphere of steam about
100 degs. cent.—thus depriving it of all the gases which
it contained, and then hermetically sealing the filled
bottles in which it had been heated. When about to
leave for 'Aberdeen, I opened a bottle which had been
closed by M. Maben on the 14th of Feb., 1854 ; and.
after a lapse of five and a-half years, I found it as fresh
as it was the first day. M. De Pierre has greatlyimproved
the discovery. The means which he employs to effect
the preservation of milk, is still heat ; but heat applied
in some peculiar way, by manual dexterity, first dis-
covered by a Swiss shepherd. All that lam allowed to
state is, that the effect of this new method of applying
heat is to remove a sort of diustore, or animal ferment,
which exists in milk in a very small quantity, and which
is the real cause of its speedy decomposition. When
this species of ferment is removed, milk can be pre-
served for an indefinite perioA. of time in vessels not
quite full, and consequently exposed to the contact of
rarified air, a result which was not effected by the
process of M. Maben, or rather that of M. Gay Lussac,
as they completely expelled those gases which other-
wise would have rendered it sour. I have such full
confidence in the success of M. De Pierre's process,
that I had not the least hesitation in bringing along
with me from Paris to Aberdeen a large vessel contain-
ing five gallons of milk, fearlessly trusting it to railroads
and steam-boats, thus exposing it to all the incidents
of the journey. lam so confident of the success of the
process, that I pour out the contents of this large vessel
into Scotch glasses with the conviction that I am giving
to the ladies and gentlemen of the British Association a
milk as natural, as pure, and as rich as when it was
taken from the cow in the fertile plains of Normandy.
May this potion, so sweet and so pure, be a symbol of
those sentiments of benevolent affection which France,
flourishing and enlightened, entertains towards her
noble and great sister England. Owing to its greater
specific lightness, cream ascends to the top of the vessel,
but it can be easily m. ade to diffuse itself through the
milk by slightly shakingit before uncorking the bottle.
As the vessel is not quite full, a small quantity of butter
may have been formed, and the milk may have become
somewhat less rich, but it will still be pure and natural
milk, without any strange taste. Thanks to the progress
of science, of which T am happy to be the representative,
France can yield with profit to England her fruits, her
vegetables, her eggs, and now offers her prepared milk
for the wants of the army and navy, having nothing to
fear from the longest voyages, nor from the excesses of
heat and cold. From this date forward, after making
any communication, English vessels my procure milk in
London in the centre of the city, 87, Great Tower-street,
provision warehouse. This is an invaluable resource
for travellers. After the vessel is uncorked, the milk is
in the condition of natural milk, and can only be kept
sweet about forty-eight hours as with ordinary milk.
This process can be applied equally well to cream or
whey. Persons to whom these may be prescribed by
their medical attendant, need no longer go to seek them
in the mountain cabin or the lowland farm ; they will
find in Paris or in London the best whey of Normandy
or the Alps. Without doubt the price of preserved milk
is high ; it could not be sold in England at less than a '
shilling a quarter of gallon, but even at this price it will
be much sought after.