What is peptonized milk? Milk that has been partially digested.
What part of the milk has been digested? The proteids (curd).
Does this alter its taste? No, if it is peptonized for only ten minutes,
but if it is fully peptonized the milk has a bitter taste.
How can the bitter taste be avoided in partly peptonized milk? At the end
of ten or fifteen minutes place the milk in a sauce-pan and raise it
quickly to the boiling point; this kills the ferment so that the milk will
not become bitter when it is warmed for feeding; or the milk can be cooled
rapidly by placing the bottles first in cool and then in ice water; but in
this way the ferment is not destroyed, and the milk may become bitter when
warmed for feeding.
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How is milk peptonized? By the action of a peptonizing powder composed of
a digestive agent known as the extractum pancreatis and bicarbonate of
soda. This is added to the plain or diluted milk. This agent can be bought
in tubes or tablets, and is the active ingredient of the peptogenic
powder.
Will you describe the process? Place the plain or modified milk in a clean
glass jar or bottle, and then rub up the peptonizing powder or tablet with
a tablespoonful of milk, and add it to the milk and shake the bottle.
Place the bottle in a large pitcher or basin of water of about 110 degrees
F., or as warm as the hand can bear comfortably, and allow it to remain
for ten to twenty minutes if you wish to peptonize the milk but partially;
or if you wish it completely peptonized let it remain for two hours.
Is it better to peptonize the whole day's supply, or each bottle
separately just before feeding? If you peptonize the whole day's supply at
once raise the milk to the boiling point after it has been peptonized; if
only the one feeding do not peptonize it more than ten minutes before
feeding for the ferment will work while the child is feeding. It can be
done either way.
Is not the completely peptonized milk distasteful? Not so in the case of
young infants; older infants will take a few feedings without objection,
but it cannot be used for children much older than five months.
How much of the agent should be used? For a single feeding of four ounces
one may use one-eighth of a tube with a weak formula of milk or one-sixth
with a stronger formula. For one pint of plain milk five grains of the
extract and fifteen grains of bicarbonate of soda will be needed. This
amount is usually put up in one tube or tablet. Less will be required in
weaker formulas of modified milk.
What advantages has peptonized milk? Partially peptonized milk assists
greatly in digesting the curd of milk. Young infants sometimes have
trouble in digesting the curd. When completely peptonized it is good in
attacks of acute indigestion.
How long may I give it? It may be used for a few days when completely
peptonized; when partially peptonized it can be used for two or three
months, and when you wish to give other food, leave off its use gradually
by shortening the time of peptonizing and lessening the quantity of the
powder used.
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