The Osceola times., 1882-10-07
"KOUMISS."
An Asiatic Beverage that Became Noted
During Gariield's Illness-Its Alleged
Virtues.
New York SUD.


New York SuI
"The use of koumiss has grown very
much in this country" said physician,
"since it was used by the doctors in the
case of President Garfield, when he could
not take other food. 1t promises to be a
popular drink all through this country,
and it is now habitually used in many
private families, and, | believe, can be
obtained at some bars and drug stores"
"What is koumiss?'
at is a beverage which has been used
for centuries by the nomadic tribe, of
Asia, and was discovered in Tartary by
traveller. 1t is made by the Tartars of
mares milk, and liquor was fermented
from it which was most palatable. 1t is,
however, now made of pure cows milk
with the addition of little sugar, thus
making it chemically equal to mares
milk. 1t is now regarded as great cure
for dyspepsia. At Ananief on the Volga
river, near Samara, Russia, there has
been established a Koumiss cure, to
which thousands of invalids, some from
this country, go. The foundation of the
course of treatment given here is the
milk diet. The advantage of koumiss is
that the first process OF digestion, name
ly, fermentation, occurs before it is taken
and the generation of a small percentage
of alcohol relieves the stomach of carbon
ic acid gas, enc of the most distressing
symptoms of dyspepsia. The koumiss
assimilates most perfectly with the or
gans of digestion without taxing them,
and it goes, as the saying is, to the right
spot. The best thing about this delicious
drink is that it can be made at home and
at a cost of about fifteen cents a quart"
"How is made ?'
"The best formula is furnished bv DIR.
John G. Johnson, of Brooklyn, and it is
as follows:
"Fill a quart bottle up to the neck with
pure milk; add two tablespoonfuls of
white sugar, after dissolving the same in
a little water over hot fire; add also a
quarter of two-cent cake of compressed
yeast. Then tie the cork on the bottle
securely, and shake the mixture well;
place it in a room of the temperature of
500 to $50 Fahrenheit for six hours, and
finally in the ice box over night Drink
IT, such quantities as the stomach may
require. 1t will be well TO observe sew
eral important injunctions in preparing
the koumiss, and they are: First to be
SURF tildt Vic uillh II puTt, sctOnu, lIldt
the bottle is sound; third, that the yeast
is fresh; fourth, to open the mixture in
the morning with great care, on account
of its efIervescent properties; fifth, not to
drink il all If there is any curdle or
thickened part resembling cheese, as this
indicates that the fermentation has been
prolonged beyond the proper time.
"The American habit is TO make the
koumiss as il is used, but under certain
conditions the beverage will keep for
some time, and age will improve its fla
vor and strength as it does alcoholic liq-
uors. II is transported in skin bottles in
Tartary."
"How does il taste ?'
at has delicious and pungent taste,
unlike any other beverage, and, while it
stimulates and refreshes, there is no
enervation or prostration following it.
The medical faculty has long been seek
ing beverage that would nourish and
sustain as well as give strength for the
moment, and it is believed that koumiss
supplies the want. As dyspepsia is sort
of a national disease with us, this cure
should be a national blessing. Clever
young women en- the farms of our coun-
| try could not give more cheer to the ev-
ening meal than by supplying the tired
men with koumiss. II is beverage for
colleges and boarding schools, and think
it may cure dipsomania. repeat, il
should be made at home and with care,
and only pure milk should be used"