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27
1919
and capable of being reconstituted into a fluid more or less closely
resembling the original milk.
It is true that dessicated milk was an article of commerce as
far back as 1868 and between this date and the end of the century
we have milk powders mentioned, but in almost every instance they
contain sugar and cereal flours in addition to the solids of milk. In
1910, Campbell's process was patented in England. Since 1902,
considerable improvements have been made in the manufacture of
dried milk, and several processes are now in use on a comparatively
large scale for the production of dried milk without the necessity of
adding sugar or other foreign substances. The products now
obtained by several processes are sufficiently good to allow the
preparation, by mixing the dried milk with warm water, of a fluid
bearing a fairly close resemblance to fresh or at least heated milk.
Several of the patented processes for making milk powders
are comparatively simple, and the plant required is relatively inexpensive.
The processes can therefore be carried out on the premises
of farms or small manufacturers, and do not require the resources of
a large and expensively equipped factory. It is therefore not merely
an idle dream on the part of some of the enthusiasts to look forward
to a time when the existing conditions as to the collection and distribution
of the milk will be done away with and practically all milk
consumers will buy their milk by the pound, instead of by the quart,
and stock it in the house along with their groceries.
It is contemplated that the great financial saving in cost of
distribution and of transport, and the avoidance of waste, owing to
milk going bad, will more than cover the expense of manufacturing
processes and that an article will be produced purer, more constant
in composition and less liable to contain and convey the germs of
infectious disease than ordinary milk.
In the Winter Prices Order 1919-1920, the average price to
the producer was 2s. 9d. and the average cost of distribution was
is. 1d. In the Summer Prices Order, 1919, the cost of distribution
was nearly 70 per cent. of theprice paid to the producer, viz.:—is. 6d.
and is. 1d. for distribution. The distributors claim this large margin
of profit, because of the large amount of wastage which occurs
through souring in the summer months.
Some retailers have already recognised the advantage and the
profit of adding reconstituted milk to the fresh milk. One firm of