Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-07-08
IS KOumIss."
The Peculiar Beverage Prescribed for I'll
President.

The Peculiar Beverage Prescribed for the
President.
A medicinal beverage hitherto compare
lively unknown outside of medical circles
in this country has been employed in alle-
waiting the .thirst of the sick president
since Tuesday morning. On the preceding
afternoon Mr.. George I. Mckelway, the
anotheearv of Chestnut street above
Broad. Philadelphia, received a telegram
from the White House signed by Dr.
Hawkes.. tutor to the presidents children.
inauirius whether he could furnish sup
nlv of "Koumiss" for Mr.. Garfeld's use.
reply in the affirmative was followed by
a telegram fiom Colonel Rockwell, re-
auesting that quantity Of the beverage
should be sent at once. Accordingly a
special messenger was sent to WASH
ington with five quart bottles solidly
hacked in ice, and telegram
conveying the thanks Of the physicians
was received from Col. Rockwell. In Tar
tary where "Koumiss is the favorite
beverage of the natives, it is made from
mares milk. This article, however, not
being obtainable hereabouts, ordinary
cows milk takes it's place. 1t is ferment-
ed by the aid of yeast and sugar highly
charged with carbQnic acid gas, and then
bottled for use. Three days are required to
bring it to a proper stage of fermentation.
1t is very agreeable drink, having
slightly acid taste, and contains from to
4 per cent. of alcohol and to 2 per cent
of Tactic acid. II exposed for short time
to the air it becomes sour and unfit Tor
use 1t differs from whey in containing
nutritivc constituents Of milk, and from
milk itself that it is an effervcscing alco-
holic fluid.
Between twenty five and thirty quarts OF
tho beverage arc daily sent out OF the
Chestnut street laboratory ON physicians
prescriptions. Before Mr.. McKelway
learned the secret of its preparation it was
made exclusively by a Russian, whose fixed
price was 81 per quart. At the present
time three bottles are obtainable at that
figure. The merits and effects of "Kou-
miss - have beeH closely tested and studied
by many prominent medical men in Phil
adelphia, among them being DR.. VIM. Pep
per, provost Of the university, DR.. Bar
tholow and DR.. Hollingsworth Neill. DR..
Pepper instances a case of a sailor who
was u patient in the university hospital
suffering from polyuria. At the
time of his dismission he passed
ten pints of urine a day. He
was put on an exclusive diet OF
"Koumiss," one quart being given every
twen'y y-four hours, and in sevcn days the
urine had diminished to one pint eleven
ounces and the patient was able to take
solid food. DIR. Bartholow, who says that
it possesses great value in the treatment
of phthisis, chronic bronchitis, low stages
Of fever, and all adynamic states in which
the combined effects o! alcohol and nutri-
ents are desirable, quotes Jagielsky, all
eminent Russian physician rs saying that
he had patients gain as much as ten
pounds month when no other food was
taken.' The valuc of the beverage to the
president lies in the fact that, while in his
present condition he cannot digest milk
for which he has craving, lie is able ia
take "Koumiss," which answers every
purpose of the physicians with perfect
sccess, while it allays the thirst much bet:
ter than milk. 1t also has beneficial
effect upon the liver and kidneys.