Few understand the delicate and complex nature of milk. It is a
compound of many ingredients; and if any one of these is disturbed, it
affects the whole. Their union is very weak and unstable, and liable to
be broken by many influences. To give a clearer idea of the composition
of milk, we copy the following diagram, prepared by Dr. E. Lewis
Sturtevant, Director of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station:
MILK.
|
+-----------------+--------------+
Cream. Skim Milk.
| |
+----------+---------+ +-------+-----------+
Butter. Butter Milk. Coag'ble Matter. Whey or Serum.
| | | |
+------+------+ ------+------ +--+----+ +------+----------
Solid Fat. Liquid Fat. Casein. Whey By By Salts. Nitrog. Matter
| | or Rennet. Acetic | or
---+--- ----+---- Serum. | Acid. ---+--- Osmazome.
Stearin Olein ---+--- | Potash Sach. Matter
Palmatin Butyrin Casein. --+-- Soda or
Caproin [2]Ziega. Lime Milk Sugar.
Caprylm Magnesia
Caprin Iron
Arachin Phos. Acid
[1]Myristin. Sulph. Acid
Carbonic Acid
Silicic Acid
Chlorine.
[1] Not found in all milk.
[2] Includes, albumen and whatever else is coagulable by acetic
acid.
Here are between twenty and thirty different constituents, in various
proportions. Their combination is effected through the organism of the
cow, the ultimate work being performed by the udder, where it is no
sooner completed than reaction begins and change is the result.