PRESERVED MEAT.—NEW PATENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 698, 8 July 1869, Page 4

PRESERVED MEAT.—NEW PATENT.

(Sydney Morning Herald.) Wool, tallow, and hides have hitherto been the chief sources of the income of ibis colony. The wealth thence derived lias been larger than the produce of our gold-fields. The boiling down of sheep and cattle was conceived to be a clever device to make the best of a bad market. It seems likely, however, rhat in future the export of tallow will diminish, and that the difference will be made by an article of much greater value in the market which now absorbs the raw material, the produce for distant manufacture. The autipodes are not more opposite than are in some respects the circumstances of the people who inhabit respectively England md Australia, The English farm la bourer in some counties, according to a recent notice by the Rev. Mr Girdle stone, in Frazer's Magazine, eats meat only once or twice a-week ; —here the poorest workman would consider him self hardly dealt with if he did not get fresh meat once or twice a day. Here butchers' meat. is among the cheapest articles of diet; in England it is among the most expensive. In England there is a larger population than can be maintained and employed; here, the population is too small to develope the resources of the country. While the attention of the people in England has been directed to the best methods of removing the surplus population, and the most favorable means of obtaining an increased supply of animal food, enterprising men in the colonies, in the true spirit of commerce, have set about solving the problem, and we now see the beginning of undertakings which will rival the old methods of obtaining wealth, both in the facility with which wealth is acquired and the amount o! benefit conferred on the world by means of the exchange through which that wealth is obtained. The candidates for the trade in preserved meat are pursuing their investigations with great ardor. The modes are becoming numerous. There is the freezing process of Mr Mort, the dipping or saturating process of Mr Manning, the drying process already practised in South America and elsewhere; the process of parboiling and hermetically sealing, and various methods which have been long in vogue. We have now to record an application for a new patent for a process which may be briefly described, and of the utility of which of course the applicant, who claims to be the inventor, is very sanguine. The applicant for this new patent is Mr Joseph Vincent Lavers, of Sydney. Mr Lavers has been long known as a blacking and ink manufacturer. His recent invention is a process for preserving the carcases of animals in a fresh condition without the flesh coming in contact with any liquid or solid substance, and also for preserving by a similar method the skins of animals.

By this process the carcases or skins of animals, soon after slaughter, are hung up in an air-tight apartment. There is then an introduction into tl;e apartment of su'phurous acid gas and of carbonate acid gas (or carbonic oxidej in combination, produced by a due proportion of sulphuric acid and wood charcoal, heated in a retort and conveyed by a pipe into the apartment containing the carcases or skins. The flesh, as well as the bone, rapidly absorbs the acid and becomes the basis of sulphite. This appears to be one of the particular points on which the inventor rests his claim to originality

-—that the meat itself is made the "basis" of t;ie acid. The carbonic acid gas (or oxide) drives out all atmospheric air, as well from the meat or skins as from the apartment in which they are hung, and the process is continued until there is a perfect absorption of the gases by the meat or skins. According to the inventor, carcases or skins are said thus to be the " base of sulphite," and will keep fresh for a considerable period when re-exposed to the air. In short, the inventor claims his patent for using the meat itself as a base for " the reception, absorption, and retention of all sulphurous acid, as well as the ex pulsion of all atmospheric air from the meat or skins," and from the apartment containing the meat or skins, by means of compressed carbonic acid gas or carbonic oxide, or both in combination.

There is a resemblance between this process and one a short ago submitted by Dr. Estor to the Society of Arts for preserving meat. But in Dr. Estor's process sulphurous acid and chlorine are applied ; and not simul taneously, but in succession. "For general purposes," according to Dr. Estor's process, " and where a com parativeiy small quantity of meat is required to be treated, the most convenient form of applying these gases is that of a pastille, consisting of a clay bowl resembling that of a tobacco pipe ol hirge size coated on the outside with sulphur, the interior of the bowl being filled with paste containing chlorine." Information concerning the invention is contained in the Medical Press and Circular. The action is thus described —" The sulphur of the pastille being set fire to, burns, giving off sulphurous acid gas. and by the time the sulphur is nearly burnt out sufficient heat tias been generated to cause the chlorine gas to be evolved, thus effecting the desired object of the inventor. The joints of the carcase required to bt treated are placed in an air-tight re ceptacle, lined with tiles or other nonabsorbent substances. A lighted match is applied to the bottom of the pastille, the door of the safe is closed imine diately the pastiie begins to burn, and the meat is left in that condition till required for use, although it may be taken out half-an-hour afterwards and hung in the open uir without any danger of its going suddenly bad." When large quantities are required to be preserved for a length of time, Dr. Estor says that, with the gases, he was able to keep meat| in a perfectly good condition for eight weeks in the hot wea ther, wh:ch is the longest peiiod to which his experiments extended. There was not the slighest taint of decomposition, and the only difference between that and butchers' fresh meat was that the former was excessively tender eating.

One important point of difference is that, whereas in the one case the gases used are sulphurous and chlorine (which latter is poisonous), in the other gases are sulphurous, and carbonic. Mr Lavers acquired the knowledge of the application of sulphites many years ago, when engaged in wine making, on which occasion he was aided by Mr Watt, analytical chemist. Having been successful in preventing fermentation in wine by the application of these gases, he by observation and deduction, arrived at the conclusion that the same agency would be equally effective in arresting the decay of animal substance. The length of time that meat will keep when exposed to the air, after having been subjected to Mr Laver's process, has not yet been tested ; but the in ventor has a sheep now hanging iu his store which was killed several weeks ago, and to-day is perfectly sound in every part. There is no taint or decay, either beneath the shoulder or dorsal column. It is the intention of Mr Lavers, in the course of a few days, to apply the gases by the arterial system, which it is thought will be even still more effective. It is said that the gases destroy each other, that their presence cannot be detected by the taste, and that the meat will retain its original flavor. The inventor desires to test the value of his invention as soon as practicable by takiug to England a cargo of Australian beef and mutton. The meat will be placed in compartments so as to be free from pressure and the compartments will be tilled with gases, wuich can be made in due proportion at a rate so low that

it will cost but about a shilling to preserve .an ox. It will be a very easy thing to test the practicability of this process; but it would be difficult to over-estimate the value to the colony of any successful method by which Australian meat can be sent in good condition to supply the tables of men in all countries, whose inhabitants are clothed with Australian wool. [The above are the facts as given to us by Mr Lawes, but we do not hold ourselves responsible for the statements.—Ei>. S.M.H]

Dr. Featherston The Wellington Indepeudent, 61 h July, says " his Honor the Superintendent left town for Otaki on Sunday last, having received an invitation from the natives there to ereet the first tegraph polo on the West Coast." Science and Akt—A striking instance of the immense value a small piece of steel may acquire by the great power of skilled mechanical labor is the balance-spring of a watch. From its extreme fineness and delicacy 4,00) weigh not more than an ounce, and exceed in value £I,OOO. A most interesting little work, describing the rise and progress of watchmaking, has been published by J. W. Benson, 25 Old Bond-st., and the City Steam Factory, 58 ana 60 Ludgate hill. The book, which is profusely illustrated, gives a full description of the various kiiids of watches and clocks, with their prices. Mr Benson (who holds the appointment to the Prince of Wales) has also published a pamphlet on Artistic Grold Jewellery, illustrated with the most beau tiful designs of Bracelets, Brooches, Earrings, Lockets, &c, &c, suitable for Wedding, Birthday, and other presents. These pamphlets are sent post free for two stamps each, and they cannot be too strongly recommended to those contemplating a purchase, especially to residents in the country or abroad, Who are thus enabled to select any article they may require, and have it forwarded with perfect safety. 2416|9 Breakfast.—A Successful Experiment. —The Civil Service Gazette has the following interesting remarks :—" There are very few simple articles of food which can boast so many valuable and important dietary properties as cocoa. While acting on the nerves as a gentle stimulant, it provides the body with some of the purest elements of nutrition, and at the same time corrects and invigorates the action of the digestive organs. These beneficial effects depend in a great measure u;>on the manner of its preparation, but of late years such close attention has been given to the growth and treatment of coeoa, that there is no difficulty in securing it with every useful quality fully developed. The singular succes which Mr Epps attained by his homoeopathic preparation of cocoa ha.« never been surpassed by any experimentalist. Far and wide the reputation of Epp&'s Cocoa has spread by the simple force of its own extraordinary merits Medical men of all shades of opinion have agreed in recommending it as.the safest and most beneficial article of diet for persons of weak constitutions. This superiority of a particular mode of preparation over all others is a remarkable proof of the great results to be obtained from little causes. By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well selected cocoa, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavored beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around us ready to attack wherever there is a weak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well forti fied with pure blood and a properlv noulished frame." 4/2/9