392 On the Use of the Gelatin of Bones. 



the kitchens at Paris, according to his computation, would 

 serve for 1,200,000 basins of Rumford soup. 



My views are somewhat different. I do not aim at discovering 

 the minimum of food necessary to the support of human hfe. 

 My allowance would extend to an ounce of gelatin per day, 

 which would be enough for two or three basins of vegetable 

 broth, and a pound of bread. But my estimate so far differs 

 from that of M. Michelot, that I should allow to 200,000 indi- 

 viduals what he would give to three times that number. 



If to four pints and a-half of water, and one ounce of gelatin, 

 be added eight ounces of meat, we shall have a broth as good 

 in appearance and flavour as if it had been made with three 

 times the quantity of meat. Thus, by the new process, there 

 is a saving, not only when gelatin alone is employed, but also 

 when (to have a broth possessing more relish) a fourth part 

 of the meat which would be necessary in ordinary cookery, is 

 added to a quantity of gelatin equivalent to the substance 

 of the other three parts. 



From a report delivered by the faculty of medicine at Paris, 

 it appears that one hundred weight of raw meat will yield sixty- 

 seven of roast meat, or fifty pounds of boiled, and two hun- 

 dred basins of broth. 



It appears further that one hundred weight of meat of which 

 twenty-five pounds is made into broth with three pounds of 

 gelatinous matter, will yield two hundred basins of broth, and 

 twelve pounds and a-half of boiled meat, leaving seventy-five 

 pounds, from which may be obtained fifty pounds of roast 

 meat. 



By this method, then, we get the same quantity of broth as 

 before, fifty pounds of roast meat and twelve pounds and 

 a-half boiled : the gelatinous matter at the rate of two shillings 

 per pound, the price charged for it at Paris, would cost about 

 six shillings ; but the cost of this is more than covered by the 

 twelve pounds and a half of boiled meat. The price of dried 

 gelatin may, as I have stated above, be readily brought down 

 to one shilling and three-pence per pound. In that case, a 

 man's food, seasoning included, would cost three half-pence, 

 and the reduction of the rations of bread and vegetables would 

 occasion a saving at least to that amount. 



