NEW PROCESS FOR PRESERVING MEAT.

Evening Star, Issue 5994, 29 May 1882, Page 3

NEW PROCESS FOR PRESERVING MEAT.

A demonstration of a new method (under Jones's patent) of meat preservation was given on the 6th March, at York terrace, Regent Park. That which is peculiar to the system may be stated in a few words. Instead of steeping the dead meat in an antiseptic, the preservative chemical is introduced into the live animal, and by the action of tho heart is sent through the blood vessels and capillaries into every part of the body. The invention promises to effect a much-needed change in tho slaughter-house, and to lead to the killing of sheep in at least as humane and painless a manner as is, according to high authority, that by which bullocks are slaughtered. The operation was performed under the direction of Mr W. L. Strong, Mr Hardwicke, and Colonel Harger. 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 the operation. Mr W. Hunting, a veterinary surgeon, laid bare the left jugular vein, and, using an ordinary surgical trocar and canula, drew off about a pint of blood. The preservative chemical, dissolved in warm water and kept at blood-heat by a hot water-jacket surrounding the tin can iu which it was held, was then allowed to flow through an indiarubber tube placed to the orifice of the canula 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 minutes were allowed for the injected fluid to pass through the whole vascular system. The sheep was then stuck b> a butcher in the ordinary way. Another sheep was then similarly treated, the whole operation in each case occupying from four to five minutes from the time the animal was stunned until it was carried out dead. Where, however, a number of sheep were ready for killing in a properly-constructed slaughterhouse, the time could be appreciably shortened. Mr Sheather, 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 Wow having been struck than in the first case, the heart had nearly stopped, and it was for a moment feared that the operation might fail, the complete permeation of the tissues with the preservative 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 the pulse fell suddenly, probably from the can having been held too high and the weight of the column of liquid consequently interfering with the action of the heart, and the beats were about forty-eight per minute. There was a gradual rise to seventytwo, and then to 150, the artery now being small and hard. The antiseptic used is boracic acid, which, it is said, does not in the slightest degree affect the flavor 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 three 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 could be kept at blood heat ready for use when killing was going on.—' Times.'