50 MEAT EXTRACTS. 



teaspoonfuls of fluid meat weigh about 52 grams and are equivalent 

 to 65 grams of pure meat free from fat and bones. Barker a recently 

 published a thorough review of the question and has taken up several 

 new points. In normal man the amido bodies do not appear in the 

 urine to any extent; therefore, they must be of value, and the author 

 believes they are synthesized into protein by the cells of the small 

 intestine. W. Yoltz b claims that amido bodies of different chemical 

 constitution produce varying effects on the nitrogen and caloric bal- 

 ances of the body. The tightly bound NH 2 groups, holding an inter- 

 mediate position in the molecule, such as are found in glycocoll, tend 

 to increase the nitrogen retention less than the carboxyl NH 2 groups, 

 which are more easily separated from the molecule. The amids in an 

 ordinary diet give more favorable results than when fed alone. On 

 feeding various amids to dogs the author obtained favorable results. 



An unsigned article in the Pharmaceutische Zeitung c discusses the 

 manufacture of meat extracts, and says that when meat (fat and bone 

 free) is extracted with water by heating, the extract does not taste 

 like the commercial meat extract, and is whitish, but after continued 

 heating over an open fire and the addition of 30 per cent of salt, the 

 commercial product, a brown aromatic extract with a characteristic 

 taste, is obtained. In preparing meat juice, 1 pound of meat cut up 

 and pressed yields 60 to 100 grams of a red-colored juice. Evaporate 

 this at 60° C. in a vacuum to one- third its bulk and a slightly red 

 solution with a taste of meat, but no salty taste, is obtained — a 

 product differing from the commercial article. It contains 30 per 

 cent of coagulable nitrogen. If a little of the solid commercial meat 

 extract is added, we have the commercial meat juice. This article is 

 answered by L. Geret, d who tells of the virtues of Liebig's extract. 

 H. Otto e claims that meat extracts contain no nutriment, and that the 

 fine odor and aroma of meat bouillon is destroyed in the commercial 

 product. 



The nutritive value of beef preparations is also discussed by Chit- 

 tenden/ Liebig's and Armour's extracts were analyzed and found to 

 consist largely of soluble extractives and inorganic salts of muscle 

 tissue. The nitrogen is high but not to any extent available for the 

 body's use, and according to Kemmerlich an animal fed on extract of 

 beef will succumb quicker than an animal not fed at all. Extracts are 

 useful on account of their stimulating and restorative value. The 

 content of potash salts causes a quickened and stronger heart beat. 

 An extract of beef is more like an alcoholic stimulant than a food. 

 Meat juices such as Wyeth's and Valentine's, according to Chitten- 

 den, have little food value, resembling dilute meat extracts. 



"British Med. J., Oct. 27, 1907. 'Ml.id., p. 316. 



b Arch. ges. Physiol., 1906, 112:413. « Ibid., p. 350. 



c Pharm. Ztg., 1905, 50 : 197. /Med. News, 1891, 58 : 716. 



