214 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



5. THE CONSERVATION OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS 

 Methods of Conservation. — The conservation of organic 

 animal substances has for its purpose the prevention of the decom- 

 position, putrefaction and fermentation processes which occur, as 

 a rule, after the death of the animal organs. This is accomplished 

 by the destruction of the microorganisms concerned in the de- 

 composition and fermentation processes and by preventing the 

 access and development of additional organisms. In most cases 

 the conservation concerns meat and milk; in addition, cadavers, 

 hides and other parts of the carcass also require attention. Since 

 the microorganisms concerned can only multiply in an atmosphere 

 with a certain oxygen content and a certain amount of moisture, 

 within certain temperature limits, and upon proper nutritive 

 media, they may be destroyed in different ways in addition to the 

 employment of antiseptics. 



1. The conserving agents which act antiseptically correspond 

 essentially with the disinfectants. Usually, several substances 

 are used together to increase the conserving action. A distinction 

 must be made between the non-toxic agents, which can be used to 

 conserve meat and milk, and the toxic substances, which serve to 

 preserve parts of cadavers. The non-toxic meat and milk preser- 

 vatives are: sodium chloride, potassium nitrate (salting, pickling), 

 sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, vinegar, sugar, glycerin, 

 smoking and hydrogen peroxide. The mixtures of conserving 

 agents must not contain toxic substances or those which are not 

 entirely non-toxic (boric acid, salicylic acid, sulphurous acid, 

 fluoride of soda, ammonium acetate, forrhaliQ, potassium per- 

 manganate). Poisonous preservatives for parts of cadavers are 

 corrosive sublimate, arsenic, hydrocyanic acid, creosote, carbolic 

 acid, methyl alcohol, chloroform, ether, acetone, chloral, copper 

 sulphate, zinc sulphate, iron sulphate, zinc chloride, copper chloride, 

 aluminum chloride, iron chloride, alum and hyposulphites. 

 Wickersheimer's conserving fluid for cadavers (arsenic 10 grams, 

 sodium chloride 25 grams, potassium nitrate 12 grams, potash 60 

 grams, methyl alcohol 1 liter, glycerin 4 liters, water 10 liters) 

 is well known. 



