HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 177 



Mr. (Joodale's improved method. 



240. I quote from Mr. Maddocks's excellent little rej)ort tlic following 

 account of an improved process devised by Mr. Goodalo: 



"As now generally managed, the scrap remains in large heaps until 

 shipped, in autumn or winter, to the points of manufacture into, or in- 

 corporation with, superphosphate. In this time a portion of the oil and 

 water leaks away, so as to leave about 10 to 15 per cent, of the former, 

 and 48 to 5'S per cent, of the latter. The elimination of the water is an 

 advantage, but the specified per cent, of oil is lost ; and a portion of 

 nitrogen is also lost, resulting from the partial decomposition of the 

 mass, the formation and escape of ammonia. It were better, if practi- 

 cable, to drive off the water at once upon withdrawal from the press, so 

 as to prevent the loss in question. 



"What has hitherto prevented the driving off of the water imme- 

 diately by artificial heat has been the presence of so much oil, together 

 with the gelatinous or gluey matter which is developed during the cook- 

 ing, chiefly from the skins and bones. These render the process of dry- 

 ing the scrap a very difficult and tedious one, so much so that compara- 

 tively little has been put into market in that desirable form. The recent 

 discovery of an easy and simple process for removing the larger part of 

 the oil, and also at the same time the gelatinous hinderance to drying, 

 gives promise of a speedy change in this respect. 



" While pursuing investigations relative to utilizing the menhaden 

 as a source of concentrated food, before referred to, Mr. S. L. Goodale, 

 well known as a chemist as well as for his eminent services to the State 

 as secretary of the board of agriculture, found, by thoroughly washing 

 the scrap as it came from the press, with suflicieut hot water and agita- 

 tion, that the oil globules were liberated from their entanglements in 

 the flesh}^ tissues, and also from the creamy mixture with the gluey 

 matter into which they were forced by the pressing, so that the greater 

 part of it could be readily recovered by draining and re-pressing; and 

 also that after such washing the scrap would bear heavier pressure 

 than at first without ' squirting.' By this easy process the oil product 

 is largely increased, the scrap is left free from the gluey hinderance to 

 drying, and contains less water to be dried out. 



" It may appear strange that so simple a method should not have been 

 discovered sooner, but such is the fact. Work had been done on both 

 sides of it. Re-pressing had been tried, using extra strong curbs, with 

 very powerful pressure, but it failed to give satisfactory results. Re- 

 cooking had been resortetl to, which resulted in injury to the oil, and in 

 the development of an additional amount of the gelatinous matter. It is 

 now seen that a simple thorough washing in hot water accomplishes 

 the desired end with neither of these objectionable results. Scrap made 

 by this process last August (1877), and dried in the open air, was lately 

 analyzed at the agricultural experiment station of Connecticut, and the 

 statement of the director, Prof. S. W. Johnson, of New Haven, shows 

 12 F 



