Babcock test
[1][2][3] The bottle and the test were developed by Stephen Babcock in 1890 as a simple but accurate way to detect adulterations practiced by some dairy farmers, including diluting the milk with water or skimming some cream.[citation needed] Babcock's refusal to patent his process or the device greatly helped its widespread diffusion.[9] The test is based on the observation that a suitable amount of sulfuric acid added to the milk will dissolve proteins and other components, except the fat.The procedure was commonly carried out in a special flask with a long neck, called a Babcock bottle.[1] Specifically, the test consisted of the following steps:[6][7][8] The scale on the neck was calibrated so as to give a direct readout of the percentage of fat in the original sample (assumed to be 17.6 mL), in 0.1 percent increments, without the need for computation.
fat content of milkStephen M. BabcockUniversity of Wisconsinadulterationsdairy farmersdairymenbreedingAmerican Dairy Science AssociationO. F. HunzikerDairy DivisionU.S. Bureau of Standardsspecial glasswareAOAC Internationalsulfuric acidBabcock bottlecentrifugeice creamUniversity of Nebraskaammonium hydroxideN-butyl alcoholethanolStephen Moulton BabcockHydrometerNiklaus GerberGerber Method