The Bacillus of Long Life / A Manual of the Preparation and Souring of Milk for Dietary Purposes, Together with an Historical Account of the Use of Fermented Milks, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, and Their Wonderful Effect in the Prolonging of Human Existence

The Oldest Woman in the World and her Son
Baba Vasilka is 126 years old, and her son Tudor is 101. They are peasants, and have lived all their lives in a little village in Bulgaria. They are typical examples of people who live to a great age by the use of soured milk, as it has been their principal food all their lives.

This book has been designed with a view to meet an extensive demand for definite data on the subject of Soured Milks. The author has had this matter brought before him, times without number, by those inquiring for authentic information on the subject, and he has therefore considered it desirable to gather together such information as is available in connection with ancient and modern practice. He has endeavoured to present this to the reader in concise form.
The author is indebted to many friends for their assistance in getting the book together, and would specially mention Dr. H. B. Hutchinson, Bacteriologist, Rothamsted Experimental Station, for assistance in connection with the bacteriology of fermented milks; Mr. Thomas Douglas, of Wimbledon, who has assisted with the chemistry of the subject; Mr. S. Javrilovitch, of Belgrade, Servia, for local information and illustrations; Dr. Otokar Laxa, Bacteriologist, of Prague, Bohemia, for general assistance; the editor of Bacteriotherapy , New York, U.S.A., for the use of the group of illustrations 30-44; the publishers of the Centralblatt für Bakteriologie , Jena, for the group of illustrations 14-29; and many others, some of whom are referred to in the text.



The milk industry is one of the oldest known to mankind, and it is difficult to imagine a time when milk in one way or another did not form a part of the diet of the human race. There is a good deal of evidence to show that in Paleolithic and Neolithic times, cattle were part of the possessions of the nomadic races; and, according to the Vedas, the manufacture of butter was known in India 1500 years B.C.