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29
1919
Before deciding upon a preference for Dried Milk to Fresh
Milk, the question was viewed from three different aspects:—
1.—Cleanliness and freedom from disease organisms.
2.—Economy.
3.—Suitability for the artificial feeding of infants.
1.—In connection with a product specially intended for the
food of infants, the question of the action of the drying process on
organisms, and especially on the tubercle bacilli contained in the
milk, is naturally of great importance and at an early stage claims
were made on behalf of a Dried Milk manufacturerd by means of
cylinders heated considerably above the boiling point of water. The
tubercle bacilli were invariably destroyed and also other pathogenic
organs.
At first it appeared to have been taken for granted that the
Dried Milk was absolutely sterile—at least at the moment of coming
from the drying cylinders. Recent examinations though, have
shown that in no instance was the sample absolutely sterile, but when
these results are compared with milk freshly drawn from the cow and
every care and cleanliness have been observed, the high standard
of bacterial purity of dried milk is very satisfactory. The number
of organisms in every sample of dried milk never exceeds a few
thousands, whilst the number in ordinary milk, as delivered to the
consumers, is measured by millions. Although the process theoretically
does not destroy the tubercle bacilli, in no instance did inoculated
guinea pigs show evidence of tuberculosis. So that from the
cleanliness and disease-carrying points of view, Dried Milk compares
very favourably with New Milk.
2.—Economy.—Some have doubted if dried milk, carefully
prepared under hygienic conditions, will ever be able to be sold at a
price which can compete with that of ordinary milk. They think
the capital charges on installation of apparatus and on the provision
of a thoroughly sanitary factory coupled with the cost of
working apparatus, and the expense of skilled labour to run it, will
more than counterbalance any saving on transport and distribution.
Evidently, these opinions were formed before the recent high price
of milk occurred. Full cream dried milk requires to be mixed with
about seven parts by weight of water to give a mixture corresponding
to ordinary milk, but with the introduction of toning, one
part of dried milk mixed with eight parts of water will in most instances
give as good a milk as is now delivered to consumers. But