Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-20
SOME FACTS ABOUT MILK.


Some idea of the Importance of
milk as human food may be gained
from the fact that about one-sixth
of the total food of the average fam.
lily is furnished by it and its pro-
ducts.
OF the various mammals whose
milk is used for food in different
parts of the world may be mentioned
the goat in the hilly districts Of
Europe, the buffalo in India, the
llama in South America, the camel
in desert countries, and the mare on
the steppes of RusCia and Central
Asia. Sleeps milk is used in some
countries for making cheese and in
other ways, and the milk Of rein
deers is commonly used as food in
the arctic regions. With us the milk
of the cow so far surpasses all other
kinds in Importance that unless
otherwise specified the word milk is
taken to refer to cows milk only.
Good, unauthorized milk should
contain about 81 per cent of water
and Is per cent solids.
Milk contains bacteria Of many
kinds and in varying numbers.
They cause the souring of milk as
well as the ripening of cream and
cheese, and produces many other
changes in the appearance and
flavor. The number present In
freshly drawn milk varies enormous
ly with the conditions of milking,
and, as they are greatly increased
with dirty and careless handling,
cleanliness in all matters pertaining
to the milking and marketing OF
milk and keeping it in the home can
not be too strongly insisted on.
Disease germs, notably those OF
typhoid, diphtheria, scarlet fever,
and tuberculosis, may ALSO be car
ried in milk, so that the purity OF
the milk supply is of vital import
ance to every family and commun-
ity.
The problem of keeping milk
sweet is one of checking the growth
of the bacteria; and as they are in
active at temperature Below SO de-
grees F., milk should be kept in a
cool place. Two common methods
for preserving milk are paEteuriza-
ton and sterilization. In the form
er the aim is to apply heat in such
a way as to kill most of the bacteria
without producing undesirable
changes in the milk; in the latter,
to apply enough heat to kill all the
bacteria, but with the least possible
undesirable change. Chemical pre-
servatives in milk are considered In
furious to health, and are forbidden
by pure-food legislation in many
states.
What is commonly known as the
richness Of milk depends upon the
amount of butter fat it contains.
There is so much difference in the
composition of milk from different
cows that many large butter and
cheese factories now test all the
milk they buy, and pay for it &C.
cording to it's butter fat content.
Mothers milk is best adapted by
nature to the nourishment OF In
fants. Cows milk is the MOST com
mon substitute, and when necessary
is artificialIy modified to make it re-
semble human milk.
The value OF milk for adults Is IN
combination with other foods; not az
a beverage merely. but to supply "
part the, material =. needed for the
body. y.~A
Unless exceptional high prices arg
paid for it, milk Is fully as econom'
fcaI a source of nutriment as othel
animal foods, but dearer than mos
staple vegetable products. MIX
however, requires no preparation
has no waste, and is more thorough
Z " digested than most vegetable
foods. AS source of protein, the
most expensive OF the. nutritive In
grediente, it i. especially economical
Skim milk, which is whole mill
minus part Of its fat, and which
costs only hall as much as whole