CHEMISTRY. 233 



rial to be preserved. Carbon is also a powerful anti-putresccnt ; 

 but it injures the external appearance of the meat and attracts 

 oxyo"en. In his process the sulphur and the carbon are comijined 

 in the bisulphide of carbon, in which both elements are fixed, tlius 

 securino: the advantao-es of both, with the disadv^antafjes of neither. 

 No animalcules can come into existence mider its influence. 



The material is exceedingly cheap, much more so than salt, the 

 estimated expense being one-tenth of a mill per pound of meat 

 preserved. To produce it, it is only necessary to burn sulphur iu 

 a close retort, and pass the fumes over glowing charcoal, when the 

 escaping gas may be used as such, or may be condensed into a 

 liquid. He places the meat in a vat or chamber, from which the 

 air is exhausted, by machinery if need be, which is then filled with 

 the gas. He preserved in this way, in September last, at Charles- 

 ton, S. C, with the thermometer in the shade at 92° F., a whole 

 sheep with the skin on. This meat 4 months after was found 

 to be in a perfect state of preservation. The process goes on best 

 at a temperature of 100° F. to 104° F., and is therefore best 

 adapted for warm climates, where it is most needed. 



As usually met with, this gas is very fetid, but it can be prepared 

 without disagreeable odor. If necessar}-, the protosulphide can 

 be used, which has rather an agreeable odor. But even with 

 the bisulphide, this gas will volatilize at 104*^ F. in a few minutes, 

 so that the meat is perfectly free from unpleasant odor or taste 

 after cooking. It everywhere permeates the muscular fibre, dis- 

 solving the fat, and carrying the oil through the whole tissue, 

 giving a rich taste relished by many epicures. 



This process differs from that of Prof. Gamgee (described on 

 pages 75,76 of this volume), in that the latter begins where his 

 ends; what comes away from his apparatus being the carbonic- 

 oxide and sulphurous-acid gas which Prof. Gamgee uses, — the 

 latter process being principally useful where the air is exceed- 

 ingly dry. 



Fish may also be preserved by immersion for one minute in a 

 solution of bisulphide of soda, made by the action of sulphurous- 

 acid gas on carbonate of soda, with one-tenth of 1 per cent, of 

 carbolic acid. 



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