J. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 357 



with nutritions fluid. The feed-pipes of the tins are then 

 nipped and the cases hermetically sealed. By thus filling 

 the tins with the gravy, the difficulty of collapse, which has 

 always prevented large tins being hitherto used, is obviated, 

 while the whole space of the package is utilized. Testimo- 

 nials from captains of ships and others who have used it are 

 furnished by the inventor, certifying to the excellent quality 

 of the meat. By this improved process the great objection 

 of overcooking the meat has been obviated, and as now pre- 

 pared it would seem to merit general approval. 17^4, Oc- 

 tober, 1870, 151. 



PREPARED MEAT-EXTRACTS IX JAVA. 



It has frequently been remarked that the best inventions 

 of the Western nations have, in nearly every instance, been 

 anticipated by processes long since devised and in use by the 

 Orientals, especially by the natives of China and Japan ; and 

 we are assured that the subject of prepared meat-extracts 

 takes its place in this category. We are informed by a re- 

 cent communication of Dr. Pott that the inhabitants of Java 

 have for many years been in the habit of preparing flesh ex- 

 tracts of various kinds, and especially of beef, fish, and crabs, 

 and that in this form they enter very largely into the inter- 

 nal commerce of the country. The preparation is known by 

 the general name of petis, while the particular substance, 

 whether the flesh of one of three kinds of oxen, offish, or of 

 crabs, is indicated by a special affix. 



The preparation of the petis appears to be a very simple 

 one, consisting merely in boiling the raw material and chop- 

 ping it very fine, and then putting it in a press and forcing 

 out all the juices. This juice is then boiled down at a mod- 

 erate temperature to the consistency of sirup, and kept for 

 use. As a general rule, the preparation is made of such 

 pieces of- meat of all the animals used as when brought to 

 market are not sold before its close, a precaution rendered 

 necessary by the heat of the country, and the impossibility 

 of obtaining ice, by means of which to carry the food over 

 until the next day. The substance from which the petis is 

 expressed is also dried and introduced into commerce, but is 

 generally used immediately, while the petis is distributed 

 widely throughout the Indian Archipelago, and can be kept 



