During recent years it has been found that milk sensitization is a relatively common cause of food allergy, and although more frequently observed in infants, it occurs in adults as well. Many of these milk sensitive persons are unable to take raw or pasteurized cow's milk but can well tolerate boiled, evaporated or dried cow's milk. In an endeavor to explain this better tolerance for heated milk, the present study was undertaken.
The chemical and immunologic properties of milk have been extensively studied for many years. A complete review of the literature with a summary of the work done prior to 1921 is given by Wells and Osborne.1
From milk, a complex protein-containing solution, four proteins have been isolated, which have been found to be chemically and immunologically distinct. Casein, a complex calcium salt containing phosphorus, occurs in a colloidal form and is readily separated from the whey proteins