MEAT PRESERVING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2865, 31 May 1882, Page 3

MEAT PRESERVING.

•flic London “Times” has thofollowj H g -__A demonstration of a new method (under Jones’s patent) of meat preservation was given on March 0, at _ York Terraco, Regent Park. That winch 1S peculiar to the system may be stated in a few words. Instead of steeping the dead moat in an antiseptic, the proscrya. tive chemical is introduced mto ■ lO live animal, add by the action of the heart is sent through the blood vessels and capillaries into overy_ part ox. the body. The invention promises to ettect

a much-needed change in tho slaughterhouse, and to lead to tho killing of sbeep in at least as humane and painless a manner ns is, according to authority, that by which bullocks are slaughtered, the operation was performed under the direction of Mr W. L.' Strong, Mr Hardwickey and Colonel Hargcr. The sheep, which was first stunned by a smart blow on the head, given with a wooden mallet, showed no signs of consciousness or sensibility throughout tho operation. Mr vv. Hunting, a veterinary surgeon, laid bare the left jugular vein, and, using an ordinary surgical trocar and qanula, drew off about a pint of blood. Tho preservative chemical, dissolved in warm water and kept at blood heat by a hot water-jacket surrounding the tin can in which it was held, was then allowed to flow through an indiarubber .tube placed to the orifice of the cannla into the vein, about two pints being thus injected. As soon as the charge had run into the animal, the canula was plugged, and about two minntes were allowed for the injected fluid to pass through the whole vascular system. The sheep was then stuck by a butcher in- tho ordinary way. Another sheep was then similarly treated, the whole operation in each case occupying from four to five minutes from the time tho animal was stunned until it was carried out dead. Where, however, a number of sheep were ready for killing in a propel ly constructed slaughterhouse, the time could be appreciably shortened. Mr Sheathor, a veterinary surgeon, on whose premises the demonstration was given, watched the effect of the operation on the pulse of the. second sheep. A harder blow having been struck than in the first case, tho heart bad nearly stopped, and it was for a moment feared that the operation might fail, the complete permeation of the tissues with tho jweservative depending upon the pumping action of the heart. From 120 beats per minute the pulse -rose during the loss of blood to about 150, the artery being flaccid. When the injection of the fluid began tho pulso fell suddenly, probably from the can having been held too high and the weight of the column of liquid interfering with the action of the heart, and the beats were about forty-eight per minute. There was a gradual rise to 72, and then to 150, qho artery now being small and hard. The antisepticused is boracic acid, which, it is said, does not in the degree affect the flavour or quality of the meat; while the results of experiments show that meat thus treated will in this country keep perfectly good without the use of ice or refrigerators for five or six weeks in summer, and two or threo months in cold’ weather. The cost of the chemical it is stated, would be at the outside 4d to 5d a sheep, and the only apparatus required would be a tank, in which, by means of a sand bath, the boracic acid would be kept at blood heat ready for use when killing was going on.—“ Times.” ■ «