New Britain herald., 1925-10-09
Your Health How to Keep It.
 Causes of illness
(BY DIR. HUGH s. CuMMING) Surgeon General, United States
 Public Health Service


 pMllk is unduestionably. one of the most important of all human toods' It contains practically all of the elements which man requires for his sustnnapce. It constitutes his solo dependence throughout the hrst year of life.
 In later years milk and it's prod urts make up q large proportion or our diet and go far towards lurnlsh- ing inc total energy expended in &C., complishing our daily tasks
 Milk, however if not properly safeguarded may be very danger ous food, Instead of producing strength and nourishment 1t may epgendor illness and death and 1t IS capable of transforming health and vigor into frailty and decay.
 Annually thousands of babies are sent to their graves because Of lnl- pure Anilk. while other thousands go through life maimed and injured rom infection received through im- pure milk,
 A mixture of milk from several COWS is much more constant in its chemical makeup than that from single animal and for that reason composite milk is to be preferred for infants.
 Cows which are we'll fed and well housed in clean surroundings pro- duce supply of milk richer in it's composition than those herds which are improperly cared for.
 Water Is Basic Ingredient of MILK
 Tho basic ingredient of milk ls water. The remaining components are either dissolved or held in sus~ pension in this water.
 Ordinarily milk contains approyt- mately S7 per cent of water, The laws of the majority of states now require that 12 per cent of solids must be present in milk.
 When the amount of solids falls below this requirement. of F per cent the purchasers do not receive full value for their money. For this reason regular standards have been adopted in practically all c0mmuni- ties.
 Fat is the most yaluable constiu- uent of milk. It is present in the form of an emulsion. These drop lets of fat are held in suspension and give to the milk its normal color.
 The droplets are surrounded by thin albuminous membranes which prevent them from uniting. If you str or beat milk the albuminous en- Folopes are partially broken up, the droplets stick together and butter is formed.
 The fats in milk are not all of the same composition, but their proper tles are similar. Milk too rich in rat may cause digestive troubles in young children.
 Many cows produce a milk which contains as high as per cent of lat. The milk standard of the dif- terent states varies from to 2h per cent.
 Protiens Are Important Food
 A number of substances called protlens' ot complex chemical com- position, are also found in milk and are Important foods although +hev 1urnlsh only approximately one-half the amount of energy furnished. bv fats. ".
 The principal protein is casein. fa- mlllar as curds in sour milk. Other protelns known as albumin and gIob. ulin are also present.
 When milk spells these three nro. tlens undergo changes and nav when taken into the system causa illness though milk when soured bv the usual Tactic acid bacilli" is an excellent food, especially for adults Frouens are always present even in skim milk, and for this reason n,illr deprived of its fat still has con- siderable food value,
 Skim milk Is good food,
 A third important constituent of milk Is lactose, commonly known a. milk sugar. This substance is sin,i- lar to ordinary sugar in composition put differs from 1t in sweetness ana other properties.
 MIX sugar ferments when acted upon by bacteria. The product of thls Fermentation is known as Is ct,c acld' t is the tactic acid which makes old milk taste sour.
 The amount of milk sugar in cows milk is less than per cent.
 Laotose has a high food value. furnishing about the same amount of energy as protein and is very easily absorbed.