Sessional_Paper_1911 — Page 41

37

V.

DRS. O. MULLER, K. JUSTI & K. Hocu,

Hotel Mansions.

MESSRS F. BLACKHEAD & Co.,

Present.

HONGKONG, 6th April, 1911.

Dear Sirs,-As requestel by you we herewith beg to submit to you our report on your Baby" Brand Milk:-

6.

“

1

We start with a parallel between the Baby Brand" Milk, analyse by Messrs. A. S. Watson & Co., L., as per report enclosed, and whole or unskimmed milk, reduced to $7·17% of water, same as the “Baby Brand" Milk :—

"Baby Brand" Milk. Fat Proteids

Ash

-

Milk Sugar

Water

Cane Sugar

0.22% 2.33

15

0.44

3.50

87.17

14.30

Whole (or unskimmed) Milk.

3.69% 3.55

"

0.71 >>

4.88 **

87·17 11

21

This shows that the richness of fat of the Baby Brand Milk is less compared with the fat of whole milk, so we consider the Baby Brand Milk a skimmed milk. Cane sugar re- presents in 100 grammes a nutrition of 410 calories, so 14:30% equal to 59 calories, and this nutritive power gives the Baby Brand Milk at least the same nutrition as whole milk. On the other hand cane sugar is considered not as good a material for feeding babies as the greater proportion of fat in whole milk. In consequence Baby Brand Milk is not a perfect sub- stitute for whole milk, but as the poorer class of people are bound to feed the children on a very doubtful class of goods, as rice and water and even worse stuff, because a good and cheap whole milk is not obtainable, for them, we are of the opinion that under the said circumstances the Baby Brand Milk is very fit for use as a substitute for cow's milk.

We are, &c.,

DRS. MULLER, JESTI & Hocu, K. Hocu.

VI.

HONGKONG, April 3rd, 1911.

Dear Sirs, I have carefully examined the analyses, of the condensed milk (Volunteer Brand), made by Messrs. Watson and by the Government Analyst, and I have compared them with other standard analyses of milk.

I find that the composition of "Volunteer Brand" agrees very closely with that of machine-skimmed milk, except that, owing to concentration, it has a much smaller propor- of water, and that it contains in addition a fairly large percentage of cane sugar, which is no doubt added for the purpose of preservation.

It is evident therefore that "Volunteer Brand" contains all the nutritive properties that are contained in skimmed milk, and that there are no injurious preservatives added to it.

It is not advisable to bring up a baby under a year old on skimmed milk only, because owing to the removal of the cream there is not a sufficient percentage of fatty matter left to satisfy the wants of the human infant, but there is nothing actually injurious to the infant in skimmed milk, and where poor persons cannot afford to buy whole milk, skimmed milk is a much more suitable food for a baby than many of the patent infants' fools that are so extensively used in these days, and it is still more suitable than a pap made of rice and water which is often employed for babies by the poorer classes in this Colony.

After the age of one year, skimmed milk, such as Volunteer Brand", is well suited as a food for children because the deficiency of fat can be easily male up by giving bread and dripping or margarine; and owing to skimmed milk being cheaper than whole milk, parents of the poorer class are able to purchase skimmed milk for their children who other- wise would not get any milk at all.

Yours faithfully,

F. O. STEDMAN,

M.D., B.S., London.

Messrs. W. G. HUMPHREYS & SONS.