AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 407 



January 15, 1856. 



Present — Messrs. Simon Brown, late Lieutenant Governor of 

 Massachusetts, Mr. Wagener, Hon. Eobert Swift Livingston, 

 Thomas W. Field, of Brooklyn, President Robert L. Pell, Mr. 

 Parker, Solon Robinson, Secretary Leonard, J. W. Chambers, Mr. 

 Charles Turell, Mr. Paixlee, Dr. Waterbury, Hon. Hugh Max- 

 well, recently collector of New-York, Mr. Clapp, Mr. Olcott, 

 Judge Samuel Van Wyck, Dr. Dummer, of Jersey City, Consul 

 Goodrich, Lyons, France, Nicholas Wyckoflf, of Long Island, and 

 others — forty-three in all. 



President Pell in the chair — Henry Meigs, Secretary. 



The Secretary read the following papers prepared by him, viz : 



ON THE PRESERVATION OF MEAT, FISH AND VEGE- 

 TABLES. 



[Newton's London Journal of Arts and Sciences, December, 1855.] 



Ebenezer Hartnall, of St. Mary Axe, patent for improvements 

 in preserving animal and vegetable substances for food, dated 

 February 5, 1855. 



First. Take two-thirds gelatine and one-third treacle, place both 

 together in a vessel heated by steam : the gelatine must be previ- 

 ously soaked in water to enable the two to unite; add a small 

 portion of spirit to remove the watery particles. 



Second. Have another vessel at hand, containing a composition 

 of two-thirds treacle and one-third gelatine; this having once 

 boiled, must be kept in a liquid state, by the smallest degree of 

 heat being applied necessary for that purpose. 



Raise No. 1 composition up to the greatest degree of heat with- 

 out its actually boiling; then immerse the meat therein, and there 

 let it remain for a time sufficient to neutralize the gases; which 

 time must be determined by its size and weight, and the quantity 

 of bone it contains. 



"When the heat is withdrawn from No. 1 vessel, its internal 

 heat will cause the liquid to run off; it is necessary, therefore, to 

 immediately immerse it in No. 2 vessel, and there let it remain 

 till it may be withdrawn with safety. On being exposed to the 

 air, the substance becomes hardened — but is as elastic as India- 

 rubber. The meat is hermetically sealed. A third coating may 

 be applied when the first has set, and the meat be immediately 

 wrapped in canvas which firmly adheres to it. 



" Having thus stated the nature of the said invention, I will 

 proceed more fully to describe the manner of performing the same : 



