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7
varied. Dr. Bell, the well-known principal of the Government
Laboratory, obtained milks from 235 individual cows—each
milked in the presence of a responsible person for the purpose
of a test analysis. These 235 milks gave an average of total
milk-solids, 12.83%—consisting of fat 3.83 %, non-fatty solids
9.00 %. Then 24 dairy-milks (each the mixed milk of a herd
of dairy cows) gave an average of total milk-solids, 13.22 %—
consisting of fat 4.12 %, non-fatty-solids 9.1 %. Dr. Bell
sums up these two tables by saying:—"Average milk ranges
in non-fatty solids from 9.0 to 9.1 %, in fat from 3.83 to
4.12 %." This gives, for average milk, a range of total milksolids
from 12.83 to 13.22 %. Dr. Bell then wrote:—
"It is to be hoped that the results of this inquiry will
serve to settle the vexed question as to the alleged constancy
in the composition of cow's milk, especially in the non-fattysolids.
The samples were obtained from different parts of
the country, and comprise milk yielded both by house and
grass fed cows, and every effort was made to obtain fair
representative specimens of milk yielded by different cows,
and under the ordinary conditions of changes of food and
season."
The figures thus set out by Dr. Bell may be accepted as
fairly representing an average milk " of the nature, substance
and quality demanded " when milk is purchased.
It need only be added that, owing to recent improvements in
the extraction of the butter-fat, a larger proportion of the
milk-solids are now described as fat, while the non-fatty-solids
are to the same extent lessened.
It is material to note that in St. James's there are now no
cowhouses, and therefore that the milk sold in St. James's is
practically all dairy milk, i.e., the mixed milk of herds of dairy
cows. Therefore when we take as the standard a milk containing
12.50 % of milk solids, we give the turn of the balance
in favour of any one who may be accused of adulteration.
Among Dr. Bell's 235 individual milks, the fat varied from
1.92 to 6.87 %, while the non-fatty-solids varied from 8.00 to
11.27 %. And even these extremes would not cover every
case which may occasionally be discovered in the milk of an
individual cow. But if abnormal milks were admitted as
"of the nature, substance and quality demanded "when
milk is purchased, it would always be safe to add 30 % of water
to an average milk. If adulteration is to be controlled, we cannot
allow the adulterator to ride off upon the phantom of a
sick or half-starved cow. Morbid secretions of that sort must
not be sent to market as milk.