An Improved Preparation for Coagulating Milk.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Preparation for Coagulating Milk.
We, THE NUTRIMENT COMPANY, a Corporation organized under and existing
by virtue of the laws of the State of New Jersey, of Union Stock Yards,
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, and CLARENCE PRESTON EYRE,
Secretary of The Nutriment Company, of Chicago, aforesaid, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of the present invention is to present rennet in a more convenient.
and better form for use than heretofore, and in a condition in which it will remain
more permanent as a preparation.
Heretofore, rennet has been employed in the condition in which the inner mem-
brane of the stomach is taken from the calf, and fresh, preserved in salt, or dried,
or it has been employed in the nature of an infusion.
The point of the present invention is to dispense with the liquid preparations of
rennet, since they are not convenient for use and are apt to spoil by fermenting
or becoming mouldy, and to exhibit the milk-coagulating principle of the rennet,
or the rennin itself, in solid form, without having it associated with detrimental
matter as where pieces of the membrane direct are employed.
The mode of procedure to produce, this new, useful and desirable product is as
follows:
We prepare a solution of the milk-coagulating ferment or rennin, entirely or
nearly free from the digestive ferment, or pepsin, for example, as follows:
We
We take the cardiac portion of the mucous lining of the stomach of the hog,
calf or other suitable animal, which portion we have discovered contains a large
number of cells secreting the milk-coagulating ferment, rennin, and very few
pepsin-secreting cells, wash, chop fine, dry, reduce to a fine powder, and macerate
it for four days, with frequent agitation in water containing 5% of hydrochloric
acid, U.S.P., in the proportion, preferably, of one part by weight of dried
membrane to four parts of acidulated water, we then filter and cautiously add a
concentrated solution of magnesium sulphate, until almost all of the pepsin contained
in the liquid is precipitated, the excess of magnesium sulphate being then removed
by addition of ammonium hydrate in slight excess. The liquid is then filtered.
The filtrate is a nearly pure solution of the milk coagulating ferment, renniu.
now evaporate this solution in vacuo, at a temperature not exceeding 105° F., until
it is reduced to a dense syrupy mass. This is then assayed in order to ascertain
the quantity required to coagulate a given quantity of milk. It is then mixed
with powdered sugar or starch, or other proper inert substance, and dried,—as by a
current of hot air. We prefer to add sugar in such proportion that one teaspoonful
of the finished product will coagulate one pint of milk in five minutes at 105° F.,
though the strength may be varied as desired. When the sugar or starch is mixed
with the syrupy mass, this becomes moist and in that condition is pressed through
a sieve, producing granules, which is the preferred form; but the product may be
in powder or other form. Either as a powder or granulated, it presents a very
elegant preparation with the rennin in its best form, suitable and ready for
practical and convenient use. The dry preparation will last indefinitely with
ordinary care.
It is to be understood that the product may be dampened, without departing
from the spirit of this invention, as by adding glycerine or some other preservative
liquid.
"We have thus, not only exhibited the milk-coagulating ferment, that is, rennin,

page_text: in a form which presents the advantages of convenience, of perfect preservation,
and of freedom from impurities, such as mucus, and animal matter; but, by this
invention, the rennin is exhibited in a nearly isolated condition practically free even
from pepsin, &c., the presence of which would have a diluent effect, so that the
specific milk-coagulating action of the rennin alone with the maximum effect is
obtained from a given quantity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,―
The described rennin product, being a milk-coagulating ferment, exhibited in
solid form, practically free from pepsin, trypsin, etc., whereby the specific milk-
coagulating action of the rennin alone is obtained, from any given quantity,
substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of February 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.