Koumiss is fermented mare's milk, and has long been a favourite beverage with the Tartars and other Asiatic tribes. In Russia consumptives go to certain stations on the Caspian Sea to undergo the koumiss cure. The secret of the whole thing is that koumiss is milk slightly fermented, and consequently highly digestible, large quantities of which can therefore be taken without producing dyspepsia. The Russian mode of cure is to rise early and to take a glass of koumiss every half-hour, with the exception of the two hours preceding dinner and supper. Meat and fats form the chief part of the meals; sweets, fruits, and salads are forbidden, as well as ices, coffee, and spirits. Koumiss is made in Europe from cow's milk. It is particularly appropriate in cases where the temperature is high and the appetite impaired.