The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-31
WHOLE NO. 1873.
&" kOUNISS
The Peculiar Beverage Prescribed for
the President.

y medical beverage hitherto COM
paratively unknown outside of med
icai circles in this country has been
employed in alleyiating the thirst of
the sick President since Tuesday
morning. On the preceding after
noon Mr.. George J. McKelway, the
apothecary of Chestnut street above
Broad, Philadelphia, received tele-
gram from the White House signed
by DR.. Hawkes., tutor to the Presi-
dents children, inquiring whether
he could furnish a supply of " Kou-
miss for Mr.. Garfield's use. A re-
ply in the affirmative was followed
by telegram from Col. Rockwell,
requesting that a quantity of the
beverage should be sent at once.
Accordingly q special messenger was
sent to Washington with five quart
bottles solidly packed in ice, and
telegram conveying the thanks of
the physicians was received from
Colonel Rockwell. In Tartary,
where "Koumiss " is the favorite
beverage of the natives, it is made
from mares milk. This article,
however, not being obtainable here
abouts, ordinary cows milk takes
its place. 1t is fermented by the
acid of yeast and sugar highly
charged with carbonic acid gas, and
then bottled for use. Three days
are required to bring it to a proper
stage Of fermentation. II is a very
agreeable drink, having slightly
acid taste, and contains from 3 to 4
per cent. of alcohol and / to per
cent. of lactric acid. If exposed for
a short time to the air it becomes
sour and unfit for use. 1t differs
from whey in containing nutritive
constituents of milk, and from milk
itself that it is an effervescing alco-
holic fluid.
Between twenty-five and thirty
quarts of the beverage are daily sent
out of the Chestnut street laboratory
on physicians prescriptions. Be
fore Mr.. McKelway learned the Sc
cret 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 mer-
its and effects of "Koumiss have /
been closely tested and studied by |
many prominent medical men in |
Philadelphia, among them being
DIR. William Pepper, provost of the
university, DIR. Bartholow and DIR.
Hollingsworth Neill. Or. Pepper
instances a case of a sai4or who was
a patient in the university hospital
suffering from polvuria. At the
time of his admission he passed ten
pints of urine dav.
He was put on an exclusive diet
of 'Koumiss, " one quart being Civ
en- every twenty-four hours, and in
seven days the urine had diminish
ed to one pint eleven ounces and |
the patient was able to take solid
food. DR.. Bartholow, who saws that
it possesses great value in the treat
ment of phthisis, chronic bronchitis.
low stages of fever and all adynamic
states in which the combined effects
Of alcohol and nutrients are desira-
BILE, quotes Jagielsky, an eminent
Russian physician as saying that he ;
had patients gain as much as ten !
pounds month when no other ,
food was taken" The value of the !
beverage to the President lies in the ,
fact that, while IL his present condi- ,
lion he cInnot digest milk for which :
he has a craving, he is able to take !
'Koumiss, (which answers every pur- ,
pose of the physicians with perfect }
while it allays the thirst :
much better than milk. Ii also has J
/ beneficial effect upon the liver and
kidneys