linportcpit Uses of Pyroligmnis Acid. 



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of le»tl, of blacking, and other pur- 

 poses. It is ascertained by rexcnt ex- 

 perience, that this acid, properly ap- 

 plied, is the most efficient preservative 

 of animal substances from decomposi- 

 tion by atmosplieric air that has ever 

 been discovered. We are indebted for 

 the first observation to M. Mougre, and 

 his experiments liave been followed 

 and extended by Mr. Ramsay of Glas- 

 gow, Messrs. Donkin and t;o. and others 

 concerned in victualling ships for fo- 

 reign service. 



The antiseptic properties of xeood 

 smoke have been rerognised from the 

 ea'liest times ; but the principle upon 

 which it was effected remained in doubt, 

 ami had been disputed until the means 

 of obtaining the acid of wood placed 

 the inquiry at rest. The exposure of 

 anim.al food, designed for ])reservation, 

 to the influence of smoke and fire, 

 (which destroys its juices,) is no longer 

 necessary. The same projierty is now 

 found and condensed in a liquid foim, 

 by charring wood in close vessels, 

 the smoke whereof impregnates water 

 with its properties, and by evapora- 

 tion and distillation this valuable acid 

 is obtained. The volatile olefiant, 

 which contains the smoky (or anti- 

 septic) quality, may be got rid of when 

 desirable, by the admixture of lime ; 

 Avhereby the tar-like substance also is 

 precipitated, and a tolerably clean acid 

 is obtained in the superua(ant liquid. 

 Evaporation renders it marketable. 



The meats are to be salted in the usual 

 manner, but only half the time ; and ifa 

 spoonful of the acid be put into each 

 quart of the brine in which hams, 

 tongues, &c. are pickled, the salt will 

 strike more readily, and its antiseptic 

 property will thereby be greatly aided. 

 Each piece or joint, wlien drained, is 

 then to be immersed completely in the 

 acid, for half a minute or a minute; or 

 it may be unshed over with a brush 

 resembling a paintei's tool ; the former 

 for long keeping, the latter for less 

 time, — as three or four months. Sides 

 of bacon, large pieces of beef, and large 

 fish, as salmon, cod, ling, &c. are very 

 eligible articles of store which may be 

 thustreated; but the fish require no salt: 

 they may be previously \ ashed in clean 

 water ow/v, and wiped dry, and the 

 brush applied as above. All such pro- 

 visions acquire a smoky taste resem- 

 bling precisely Wiltshire or Hamp- 

 shire bacon, or smoke-dried salmon ; 

 and never become rancid, though hung 

 up in unfavourable situations; and 

 bearhig a damp cellar or a West India 



April 1. 



voyage equally unaflfected by either cir- 

 cumstance. 



The advantages thus obtained are 

 numerous. Salt is saved to (he amount 

 of one half ; the time occupied in the 

 operation is trivial whcp. compared with 

 the old process of saUing and smok- 

 ing ; the same quantity of acid serves 

 f(ir a great many pieces of meat ; and 

 when its powers are dissipated, and 

 it is much impregnated with the salt 

 that must necessarily disengage itself, 

 it becomes a proper addendum to the 

 pickle of the harness tub, as before di- 

 rected. Meats so preserved aie, when 

 hung up, never attacked by flies, they 

 are also more nutritious than those 

 cured by w-arm smoke, nor need they 

 be soaked in water previous to being 

 cooked, according to the old practice; 

 in fine — expense, trouble, time, and a 

 better article, are the advantages held 

 out by the new acid. 



This interesting and truly valuable 

 discovery has been pushed to its ex- 

 tent, by Dr. Jorg, a Prussian, but with 

 only one modification in the manufae- 

 ture ; the remainder of his experiments 

 being confined to various applications 

 of tlie vinegar and oil of wood, as he 

 terms it. lie has preserved mummies 

 and anatomical preparations in perfec- 

 tion for several years, and by smearing 

 pieces of flesh, already advanced in de- 

 cay, with the oil, or acid, they soon be- 

 came dry and sound. The superior 

 knowledge of the Egyptians must raise 

 a blush in the professors of modern 

 science; fiir a traveller of the present 

 period (M. 0. Belzoni.) came in contact 

 with many hundreds of bodies, which 

 had ceased to be animated at least 3000 

 years. A fact which proves that if they 

 did not possess the means of obtaining 

 this particular acid, they at least prac- 

 tised some ingenious method of arresting 

 the progress of decay in animal matter, 

 of which we know no more than we 

 do of their language. J. HiNDS. 



Little Mnnrfields, 5 March, 1821. 



P.S. Probably the information will be 

 acceptable to many, who may be induced to 

 save their own smoke and extract the acid, 

 that several modes of cleansing the acid 

 from its remaining empyreumatic flavour 

 are within reach. Mr. Stoitze, an apothe- 

 cary of Halle, succeeded, by heating it 

 with sulphuric acid, manganese and com- 

 mon salt, and afterwards distilling it.* 

 But the impregnation of sulphuric acid 



* Iron vessels that answer this pui-pose, 

 and are within the rules prescribed by law, 

 may be purchased at the ironmongers in 

 Foster Lane, and elsewhere in London. 



raises 



