390 Further Observations on the 



cakes made from bones will keep much longer than those made 

 from meat, if no salt, sugar, vegetables, or other deliquescent 

 substances be used in the preparation. 



The best portable soups are not obtained from the prime parts 

 of the animal, but from those which are the least subject to 

 corrupt, as membrane, tendon, gristle, the raspings of bones, 

 horns, ivory, &c., and the seasoning is added only just before 

 they are served up. Besides bones, the only article wanted 

 would be muriatic acid ; this may be had in abundance at any 

 establishment where soda is separated from sea-water. Being 

 a secondary product, the price of it is inconsiderable ; and it 

 the committees Would undertake to manufacture soda them-* 

 selves it would cost nothing. 



Gelatin broths are as nourishing as meat broths, but have 

 no flavour. Now, mere food is not sufficient ; the palate must 

 be satisfied as well as the stomach. Gelatin, when pure, is 

 tasteless; it does not contain the aromatic principle called 

 osmazome, which meat has. Broths of gelatin, therefore, re- 

 quire more or less seasoning. For this purpose, we may em- 

 ploy meat or vegetables, or an extract from either. 



By gradual drying in the oven, one pound of meat is re- 

 duced to two ounces, which is an advantage in transport : but 

 the only way of defending this meat from insects, is, by closing 

 it up in his boxes upon the plan of Mr. Appert, an expensive 

 process. 



Vegetables may be preserved at less expense by being put 

 up in bottles. There is still to be mentioned an article much 

 more economical, and which is well deserving the attention of 

 the committees, particularly in Switzerland. Fermented cheese, 

 according to the experiments of Proust, contains osmazome in 

 less quantity, indeed, than meat, but more abundantly than any 

 other animal substance ; and is, therefore, well adapted to give 

 a relish to the insipid gelatin. Many proprietors of cattle in 

 Switzerland and the Low Countries, who have shown on more 

 than one occasion, the interest they feel for their suffering fel- 

 low-creatures in Greece, might, very probably, be induced to 

 offer voluntary contributions of this kind of food, if its value 

 were distinctly pointed out to them. Those who could not 

 afford to subscribe money would make no scruple of sub- 



