Milk, when digested, is nutritive, but is injurious to the gums and
teeth; and, therefore, after taking it, one ought to rinse one’s mouth,
first with honied water, and then with an astringent wine. It also
produces headach, occasions flatulence of the stomach, and hypochondria,
and engenders stones in the kidneys. The more watery kind contains
less nourishment, but is more laxative, while, on the other hand, the
thick is more nutritive, and moves the belly less. That of the goat is
of a middling consistence, as that of the sheep is thicker; and it,
immediately after the ewe has brought forth lambs, is thinner, but it
afterwards becomes thicker and worse.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It appears, from Homer, that the milk of various animals was
used for food in the heroic ages of Greece. His commentator, Eustathius,
remarks that it is very nutritious, and, in proof of this, relates the
case of one Philinus, who used no other food or drink. (Ad Iliad. xiii,
6.)
Hippocrates, who often makes mention of milk as a medicine, and as an
article of food, states that it sometimes occasions the formation of
stones in the bladder (de Aer., Aquis et Locis, 24); and this opinion was
adopted by all the ancient authorities on medicine. Milk, he says, is bad
for those who are subject to headach, for those in fever, or who have
flatulency of the bowels, with rumbling or thirst; also for those who are
bilious and have bloody discharges from the bowels. He recommends it in
consumption, and during convalescence from protracted fevers. (Aph. v,
64.)
According to Galen, the thickest milk of all, and the fattest, is that
of cows; the most liquid and least fat is that of the camel; and after
it that of the mare, and then of the ass; the milk of goats is of a
middle consistence, and that of sheep thicker than it. It is clear, he
adds, that thick milk contains more cheese, and liquid more whey. Liquid
milk, therefore, is more laxative than thick; and, on the contrary, thick
milk is more nutritious than liquid. He mentions that whey, either alone
or with a certain mixture of salt, may often be used as an excellent
laxative medicine. He states that if a goat or any other animal eat of
scammony or spurge, her milk will be rendered purgative. He says that
milk is most beneficial in complaints of the chest, but most injurious
in diseases of the head and hypochondrium. He, and all the ancient
authorities after him, state that milk is apt to hurt the teeth.
Celsus calls milk a wholesome and nutritious article of food; but says
that it is apt to disagree with the stomach, and to prove flatulent. The
learned Varro says of milk: “Est omnium rerum quas cibi causa capimus
liquentium maxime alibile, et id ovillum, inde caprinum.” (De R. R. ii,
11.)
Aristotle arranges the milk of the camel, the mare, and the ass, in the
same order, with respect to consistence, as Galen. (H. A. iv, 20.) Pliny,
evidently having in view this passage of Aristotle, says that the milk of
camels is the thinnest, then that of the mare, and that the milk of asses
is the thickest. This is going further than he was justified by his
authority. He remarks that the milk of cows gives the most cheese. (Hist.
Nat. xi, 41.)
Dioscorides calls milk nutritious, laxative and flatulent. His account of
its properties is interesting. (ii, 74.)
All the Greek authorities subsequent to Galen evidently copy from him.
Seth says that the longer milk is kept the worse it becomes. When
properly digested, he adds, it moistens the body, induces soundness
thereof, and is useful in complaints of the chest.
According to Haly Abbas, the milk of cows is the thickest of all,
and the most nutritious; that of camels the thinnest, and the least
nutritious; goat’s milk is intermediate between them; the milk of sheep,
intermediate between that of cows and goats; and the milk of asses,
between that of goats and of camels. (Theor. v, 26.) Rhases enumerates
them in a considerably different order; he says that the milk of cows
is the thickest, and that of asses the thinnest, while that of goats is
intermediate. (Ad Mansor. iii, 15.) Averrhoes calls the milk of asses and
of goats the best. See also Serapion (ex Animalibus, 457); and Avicenna
(ii, 2, 434.)
The following remarks of Macrobius seem to us very acute and pertinent;
and, if well founded, they ought to operate as a powerful consideration
to every healthy mother to suckle her own offspring: “Quamobrem non
frustra creditum est, sicut valeat ad fingendas corporis et animi
similitudines vis et natura seminis, non secus ad eandem rem lactis
quoque ingenia et proprietates valere. Neque in hominibus id solum, sed
in pecudibus quoque animadversum. Nam si ovium lacte hædi, aut caprarum
agni forsitan alantur: constat ferme in his lanam duriorem, in illis
pilum gigni teneriorem.” (Saturn. v, 11.)
The Galactophagi, a Scythian nation who lived principally upon mare’s
milk, are made mention of by Homer (Iliad, xiii), and by Stobæus (Sermo,
v.) Eustathius says that they made much use of a preparation from milk,
called oxygala. (Ad Iliad, u. s.)
Aristotle calls butter the fat of milk, which has concreted to the
consistence of oil. (Hist. Animal.) Hecatæus, in Athenæus, calls it
the oil of milk. (Deipnos. x.) Dioscorides says that it is used for
condiments instead of oil, and in confectionary instead of suet.