IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL HUMAN MILK
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Peter Theodor Julius Voltmer of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Gentleman for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL HUMAN MILK." A communication from
abroad by Otto Lahrmann of Altona Holstein Analytical Chemist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Theodor Julius
Voltmer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December
1881.
PETER THEODOR JULIUS VOLTMER of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL HUMAN MILK."
[A communication from abroad by Otto Lahrmann of Altona, Holstein, Analytical
Chemist.]
The object of the said Invention is so to modify the composition of the milk of
cows and other domesticated animals, as to make the said milk very nearly
resemble human milk in all essential respects and consequently to fit it for the
food of children brought up by hand.
This object is effected by the process or combination of processes hereinafter
described by which process or processes not only is milk produced resembling
human milk at different periods of lactation, but any infectious matter which the
original milk operated upon may have contained is destroyed.
I will describe the said Invention in connection with the milk of a cow.
Fresh milk from the cow is first freed from mechanical impurities by filtration
or otherwise and then placed in a vessel wbich can be closed hermetically and
which is provided with a thermometer by which the temperature of its contents
can be ascertained, and with a stirrer or agitator, The whole is then placed in a
bath of calcium chloride and heated to two hundred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit.
The amount of albuminoids or proteids, fatty matters, sugar and salts contained in
the milk under treatment having been ascertained by analysis of a small sample,
such an addition is made to it of distilled water cream and sugar as will bring the
.

page_text: proportion of these constituents into correspondence with those of an average
sample of human milk due allowance being made for a certain quantity of water
which is introduced in the processes herein after described. The necessary addition
of salts is made in a subsequent stage of the process as also herein after described.
The contents of the vessel having been cooled down to 86 to 104 degrees
Fahrenheit a quantity of potassium carbonate equal to from half to one and a half
per one thousand parts of the weight of the mixture under treatment is now added
together with a small quantity of a concentrated solution of pancreas or other
suitable digestive ferment, the quantity of such digestive ferment which it is
necessary to add being ascertained by previous experiment.
The mixture is now kept in constant agitation at a temperature of from 86 to
10+ degrees Fahrenheit and the progress of the action of the ferment is from time
to time ascertained by examination of small samples of the mixture by taste and
by precipitation by sulphuric ether, dilute acids or by other tests
When the amount of albuminoids or proteids is reduced to that which has been
ascertained to exist in the sample of human milk which it is proposed to imitate,
the process is at once arrested by again raising the mixture to its boiling point by
immersion in a bath of calcium chloride. While the mixture is being thus heated
up to boiling point, a quantity of a one per cent. aqueous solution of glacial
phosphoric acid is added not quite sufficient to neutralize the potassium carbonate
or bicarbonate previously added
The vessel being now immediately hermetically closed, the free carbonic acid gas
liberated by the decomposition of the carbonates is confined in the space at the top
of the vessel
The temperature_of_the_bath-is-now-raised-so-that-the contents of the vessel are
maintained at from 215 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour or more by which
means any organisms capable of producing disease, if such happened to exist in the
mixture would be effectually destroyed.
The artificial human milk, which is now ready for use is drawn off by a siphon
or other convenient means into bottles which together with the corks are kept by
a suitable arrangement at the same heat during the whole process of filling and
corking and is now ready for sale During the drawing off the temperature and
agitation of the milk are maintained
As the composition of human milk is subject to a well ascertained variation accord-
ing to the period of lactation at which it is secreted, three or more qualities of
artificial human milk may be made in which the amounts of the nutritive constituents
shall be graduated in a manner corresponding with the periods of lactation
Although I have only described the said Invention as applied to the treatment
of cows milk yet I wish it to be understood that the said treatment may also be
applied to the milk of other domesticated animals, the milk of which is or may be
used as food.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Theodor Julius Voltmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1882.
PETER THEODOR JULIUS VOLTMER of Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL HUMAN MILK."
A communication from abroad by Otto Lahrmann of Altona, Holstein, Analytical
Chemist.
The object of the said Invention is so to modify the composition of the milk of
cows and other domesticated animals, as to make the said milk very nearly
resemble human milk in all essential respects and consequently to fit it for the food
of children brought up by hand.
This object is effected by the process or combination of processes hereinafter
described by which process or processes not only is milk produced resembling
human milk at different periods of lactation, but any infectious matter which the
original milk operated upon may have contained is destroyed.
I will describe the said Invention in connection with the milk of a cow. Fresh
milk from the cow is first freed from mechanical impurities by filtration or
otherwise and then placed in a vessel which can be closed hermetically and which is
provided with a thermometer by which the temperature of its contents can be
ascertained and with a stirrer or agitator. The vessel with its contents is then
placed in a bath of calcium chloride and heated to two hundred and twelvo
degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of albuminoids or proteids, fatty matters, sugar
and salts contained in the milk under treatment having been ascertained by
analysis of a small sample, such an addition is mado to it of distilled water, cream
and sugar as will bring the proportion of these constituents into correspondence
with those of an average sample of human milk at that period of lactation which it
is intended to imitate, due allowance being made for a certain quantity of water
which is introduced in the processes hereinafter described.
The necessary addition of salts is made in a subsequent stage of the process 09
also herein after described. The contents of the vessel having been cooled down
to a temperature of from 86 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, a quantity of potassium
carbonate equal to from half to one and a half per one thousand parts of the
weight of the mixture under treatment is now added, together with a small
quantity of a concentrated solution of pancreas or other suitable digestive ferment,
the quantity of such digestive ferment which it is necessary to add being
ascertained by previous experiment. The mixture is now kept in constant
agitation at a temperature of from 86 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and the progress
of the action of the ferment is from time to time ascertained by examination of
small samples of the mixture by taste and by precipitation by sulphuric ether,
dilute acids or by other tests.
When the amount of albuminoids or proteids is reduced to that which has been
ascertained to exist in the sample of human milk which it is proposed to imitate,
which takes place generally from 60 to 70 minutes, the process is at once arrested
by again quickly raising the mixture to its boiling point by immersion in a bath of
calcium chloride. While the mixture is being thus heated up to boiling point, a
quantity of a one per cent. aqueous solution of glacial phosphoric acid is added not
quite sufficient to neutralize the potassium carbonate or bicarbonate previously
added.
The vessel being now immediately hermetically closed, the free carbonic acid gas
liberated by the decomposition of the carbonates is confined in she space at the top
of the vessel.
The temperature of the bath is now raised so that the contents of the vessel are

page_text: By treating these materials in the manner herein before described, the quality of
artificial human milk which I call No. 3 is produced
The intermediate quality which I call No. 2 is made by mixture in equal
quantities of Nos. 1 and 3.
In addition to the particulars herein before given with respect to the conducting
of the process or processes described, I remark that the action of the pancreatic
ferment may be ascertained from time to time in various ways. First, by taste,
a very slight bitter taste being observed when the action has reached the desired
degree. Secondly, by precipitation of one part of the milk by the addition of ten
parts of a mixture of equal parts of other and alcohol; and a comparison of the
amount of precipitate produced in a sample of human milk of the period of
lactation which it is wished to imitate. Thirdly, by any of the methods of
analysis such for example as precipitation by dilute acids, practiced by analytical
chemists.
Although I have only described the said Invention as applied to the treatment
of cows' milk, yet I wish it to be understood that the said treatment may also
be applied to the milk of other domesticated animals the milk of which is or may
be used as food.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of the said Invention.
But I claim as the said Invention of "Improvements in the Production of
Artificial Human Milk;"
The process or combination of processes hereinbefore described for producing
from the milk of cows and other domesticated animals' milk having the properties
of human milk at different periods of lactation; that is to say, by treating the
cows' or other milk by the addition thereto of any or all of the following materials
as required; namely, water, sugar, cream, carbonate of potash, phosphoric acid and
a pancreatic or other digestive ferment, the average proportions of which are
hereinbefore indicated, the action of the ferment in converting the excess of
albuminoid or proteid matter in the normal milk into peptones or peptone like
compounds being promoted by gentle heat until the required reduction of the
albuminoid or proteid matter has been effected; and finally heating the milk to a
temperature of a few degrees above the boiling point for the purpose of destroying
any infectious organisms contained in the normal milk should any such be present
substantially as described
In witness whereof I the said Peter Theodor Julius Voltmer have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Seventeenth day of June in the year of our
Land Onn thousand night
PETER THEODOR JULIUS VOLTMER (L.S.)