In the directions for a milk diet, equal absurdities prevailed. To prevent coagulation, we are sometimes advised to add aqua ammoniac or lime water (Motherby, fifth edition). We now know that these produce other changes not salutary, and coagulation appears really necessary. We may, indeed, admit, that the coagulumof cow's milk is sometimes too firm, and, with that view, a small stimulus may be necessary to enable the stomach to conquer it; and, for this purpose, a small portion of rum is sometimes added, and, perhaps, some of the warmer spices may be occasionally substituted with more advantage. But to add a medicine which will promote, in order to prevent coagulation - to prevent what is essentially necessary to the digestion of the milk, is an accumulation of absurdities without example, except in the work we are now attempting to improve.

Milk, we have seen, holds a middle place between vegetable and animal foods. It is milder than the lat-nd more stimulating than the former; but in its effects on the constitution it approaches more nearly to animal than vegetable aliment. (See Aliment.) The milks preferred as medicinal are chiefly cow's, ass's, mare's, and female milk. The goat's whey is preferred to its milk.

Cow's milk, we have found a rich nutritious fluid; but, by carefully choosing the kind, the age of the milk, the time of milking, etc. it is thinner and more digestible. In many stomachs it is, however, heavy and indigestible; and the idiosyncracy of the patient should be considered when it is prescribed. The quantity should, however, be also limited; for, if in excess, it produces great inconvenience from its bulk. Physicians have been so much afraid of its coagulating, that they have not employed a very convenient form of cow's milk, the slight curd produced by rennet. Cow's milk is often prescribed in hectic cases, sometimes in fevers, and in cases where the fluids are supposed to be acrimonious, as in cancers, cutaneous eruptions, and similar complaints. In many of these diseases it is, however, too stimulating, particularly in fevers, occasionally in hectics; and, as it has been observed, in the usual preparatory diet for the inoculated small pox. In these cases it is diluted with water, with decoctions of the farinacea, as in gruel, and with whey. Butter milk and whey have been sometimes substituted.

Ass's milk is, we have seen, a less stimulating fluid, and less nourishing. Its oily matter is in much less proportion, its coagulum weak, and, what is apparently of the greatest consequence, the caseous matter is not entangled with it, but precipitated. The little butter which it contains is readily dissolved in its serum. On these accounts, it appears peculiarly adapted to those states in which every stimulus is highly injurious, as in hectics. In the choice of this milk, there is not, however, sufficient discrimination. If many take the milk of the same animal, convenience, rather than the nature of the disease, determines the time; and the richer fluid of the last milking may be thus brought To the most irritable habit The age of the foal is also seldom attended to, and the laxative colostrum of the early period may be given to those whose bowels are particularly irritable.

Female milk has been seldom employed, nor are we well aware of its medical effects. It contains a large proportion of cream, and a small one of cheese. Its coagulum is also tender, and it resists the effects of acids in producing this change. It will be, therefore, probably useful in all cases where ass's milk has been recommended; nor can we think it, from the bosom of a healthy young woman, so disgusting a remedy as from the ass. Mare's milk has been employed, but of its efficacy we know nothing. From its fluidity, and small portion of caseous matter, we should suppose it to be an useful substitute for ass's or human milk.

The very large proportion of cheese in goat's milk does not seem to render it an eligible aliment for invalids, and we believe the whey is chiefly employed. This must probably prove a salutary beverage in some diseases, and we have heard many instances of its success. From our own experience, however, we know nothing.

The sugar of milk is sometimes separated, but rather for curiosity than use, for it is, we believe, never given medicinally. (See Saccharum lactis.) In the Paris Pharmacopoeia, it is directed to be prepared-from the v. hey of cow's milk, clarified, filtered, and evaporated. Whey is usually prepared by adding an infusion of rennet, and is thin in proportion to the hardness of the coagulum. Cheese whey is peculiarly thin, and merely a saline aqueous fluid. The whey prepared for drinking is an opaque fluid, with a proportion of the oil, and a small quantity of the curd suspended. It is not an easy task to bring it to the most pleasing consistence; and it is said a small portion of alum is employed for this purpose. The proportion, however, is so small, that we have not found it give uneasiness even in the most irritable bowels. Whey is, of course, less nutritious than milk, but is a mild soft demulcent, highly useful in the early stages of fever, in hectics, in coughs, and inflammatory complaints of every kind.

Milk is used as an intermede, or vehicle, at least to suspend, if not, in part, to render some medicines more miscible with water. Bark, in powder, is covered very successfully by milk; and with a small proportion of a decoction of liquorice is agreeably disguised. The volatile tincture of guaiacum, and similar preparations, are also very conveniently exhibited in milk.

See Dioscorides, lib. ii. cap. 64. Voltelen de Lacte Humano; Jacquin's Chemistry; Scheel's Works; Fourcroy and Chaptal, Annales de Chimie, vol. vii. x. and xxxi.; Jahrig; Parmentier and Deyeux, Journal de Physique, 1790, and 1791; Greive on the Koumiss, Edinburgh Transactions, 1788; Clarke on Human Milk, Irish Transactions, 1788; Stipriaan, Livisens,and Bondt, Memoires de la Societe de Medecine Paris, 1787,and 1788; Hoffman's Dissertatio de Sero Lactis; Medical Musaeum, vol.iii. p. 361, etc.; Cullen's Materia Medica.

Lac acetoscm. See Alcaol.

Lac amygdalae. Milk of almonds. See Emul-sio.

Lac Asininum artificiale. See Eryngium.

Lac calcis. Milk of lime; water whitened by a solution of quick lime, which is also in part suspended in it.

Lac spumosum. See Aphrogala.

Lac sulphuris. See Sulphur praecipitatum.

Lac virginale. See Benzoinum.