4 On an Hatraneous Meat-supply. [Jan., 
need not be surprised if here and there a practical man shakes his 
head sceptically, and asks, What is the use of Science if it allows 
such a state of things to exist ? 
As we have already said, the great difficulty to be overcome is 
the conveyance of the cattle to England or the preservation of the 
meat abroad, either in its raw state, or at least in such a condition 
as to render it fit to be brought into competition with English 
meat, and many persons are engaged both practically and experi- 
mentally in endeavouring to gain that end. 
Mr. Ford, in his Report already referred to, notices three processes 
employed at Buenos Ayres. for the preservation of meat, namely, 
Morgan’s, Liebig’s, and Sloper’s; and Mr. Prange in his pamphlet 
mentions that of Messrs. Medlock and Bailey, of Wolverhampton. 
‘Mr. Morgan’s process is based on forced infiltration,” and he 
has adopted the circulatory system of the body as a means of intro- 
ducing brine into the tissues. The operation is performed by 
allowing all the blood to escape through artificial incisions made in 
the heart of the animal after death, and by the subsequent injection 
into the heart, and through it to the whole circulating system, of 
a fluid consisting of water and salt (“one gallon of brine to the 
ewt.”), and “a quarter to half-a-pound of nitre, carefully refined.” 
The writer of the report considers this system of curing superior to 
that by means of salt outwardly applied, as he believes that the 
“natural juices and alimentary substances” are retained; and he 
says, ‘The meat has hitherto arrived in England sound and good, 
and I am enabled from personal experience to testify to the admir- 
able quality of the samples I tasted which were inviting and 
palatable.” It will occur to the reader, however, to inquire whether 
Mr. Ford tasted this “inviting and palatable” beef in Buenos Ayres 
before it was shipped (for his report comes from thence), or after it 
had passed through the ordeal of a long sea-voyage in the confined 
hold of a vessel; and if in Buenos Ayres, then, whence he derives 
the authority for his statement, that the meat “has hitherto arrived 
in England sound and good.” We have often seen it exposed for 
sale, at a price below that of salted beef, and although it is some- 
times purchased out of curiosity by the middle classes, we may 
confidently say that it does not compete with home-grown beef, 
and is of a very inferior quality. 
Of Liebig’s process, which Mr. Ford describes in detail, we have 
already spoken ; and will now add a few particulars which may in- 
terest our readers. “The meat of the animal after being killed is 
allowed to cool for twenty-four hours; it is then placed in round 
iron rollers (armed inside with points) which, being revolved by 
steam, reduce the meat to a pulp. This pulp is thrown into a 
large vat with water, and allowed to steam for an hour, and is 
then passed into a reservoir (shaped like a trough with a sieve at 
