The Bacillus of Long Life

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[Illustration: THE OLDEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD AND HER SON

Baba Vasilka is 126 years old, and her son Tudor is 101. They are peasants, and have lived all their lives in a little village in Bulgaria. They are typical examples of people who live to a great age by the use of soured milk, as it has been their principal food all their lives.]

The Bacillus of Long Life

A Manual of the Preparation and Souring of Milk for Dietary Purposes, Together with an Historical Account of the Use of Fermented Milks, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, and Their Wonderful Effect in the Prolonging of Human Existence

By Loudon M. Douglas, F.R.S.E.

With 62 Illustrations

G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press 1911

Revised Edition

COPYRIGHT, 1911 BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS

The Knickerbocker Press, New York

PREFACE

This book has been designed with a view to meet an extensive demand for definite data on the subject of Soured Milks. The author has had this matter brought before him, times without number, by those inquiring for authentic information on the subject, and he has therefore considered it desirable to gather together such information as is available in connection with ancient and modern practice. He has endeavoured to present this to the reader in concise form.

The author is indebted to many friends for their assistance in getting the book together, and would specially mention Dr. H. B. Hutchinson, Bacteriologist, Rothamsted Experimental Station, for assistance in connection with the bacteriology of fermented milks; Mr. Thomas Douglas, of Wimbledon, who has assisted with the chemistry of the subject; Mr. S. Javrilovitch, of Belgrade, Servia, for local information and illustrations; Dr. Otokar Laxa, Bacteriologist, of Prague, Bohemia, for general assistance; the editor of Bacteriotherapy, New York, U.S.A., for the use of the group of illustrations 30-44; the publishers of the Centralblatt für Bakteriologie, Jena, for the group of illustrations 14-29; and many others, some of whom are referred to in the text.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--INTRODUCTORY--HISTORICAL 1

II.--FERMENTED MILKS 15

III.--THE CHEMISTRY OF MILK 47

IV.--HANDLING OF MILK 68

V.--THE BACTERIOLOGY OF FERMENTED OR SOURED MILK 84

VI.--THE PREPARATION OF SOURED MILK IN THE HOUSE 125

VII.--THE PREPARATION OF SOURED MILK IN THE DAIRY 139

VIII.--SOURED MILK IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 151

INDEX 165

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE

THE OLDEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD AND HER SON Frontispiece

THE PASS OF BUKOVA 2

KABYLES SOURING MILK 4

THE HANDLING OF MILK IN THE PYRENEES 8

THE CONSTITUENTS OF MILK 48

1.--MICRO-PHOTOGRAPH OF A DROP OF WHOLE MILK 58

2.--MICRO-PHOTOGRAPH OF SEPARATED MILK 58

3.--MICRO-PHOTOGRAPH OF CREAM 58

4.--PHOTOGRAPH OF TWO PETRI DISHES, WHICH HAVE BEEN INOCULATED WITH ORDINARY MILK 60

5.--THE CREAMOMETER 62

6.--TESTING-GLASS FOR EXTRANEOUS MATTER IN MILK 62

7.--LACTOMETER AND TEST-GLASS 64

8.--PASTEURISER 78

9.--CONTINUOUS APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF SOURED MILK 82

10.--A MILK-FILLING APPARATUS 90

11.--SECTION THROUGH A KEPHIR GRAIN 94

12.--Streptococcus lacticus (GROTENFELDT) GROWING ON LACTOSE-AGAR, STAINED BY GRAM'S METHOD 96