Preservation of Animal Food. 47 



Art. III. — On a Pair of Scissors for the excision of 

 Snake-bite. By George B. Halford, M.D. 



[Read 9th March, 1868.] 



Profe&sor Halford exhibited aud explained a pair of 

 scissors which had been made under his direction, for the 

 excision of snake-bite, by which the piece of flesh might be 

 cut out immediately after the bite was received. He 

 remarked that all the remedies which he had tried for snake- 

 bite had failed, and as he had read of one or two painful 

 deaths from snake poison in the papers, he thought it became 

 their duty to consider whether they could not provide an 

 instrument which would enable people immediately to cut 

 out the piece, and throw away the poison. The instrument 

 which he submitted could easily hang by the side, and 

 might be carried about by sportsmen, squatters, and others 

 likely to be among snakes. The great recommendation of 

 the instrument was that a man could use it himself. The 

 two blades of the scissors were curved, and they had a point 

 or spike which, when the scissors open, would be driven into 

 the bitten part. As they shut, the scissors pressed this 

 point, which rose, bringing the flesh and skin with it. The 

 blades of the scissors then severed the piece of flesh, and it 

 was thrown away. 



Art. IV. — On the Application of the Cold, resulting 

 from the Expansion of Compressed Air, to the Preserva- 

 tion of Animal Food. By Mr. J. Davy Postle, C.E. 



[Read by Mr. R. L. J. Elleet, 20th April, 1868.] 



It is generally admitted that in freezing animal food we 

 employ one of the most powerful antiseptic agents known ; 

 but though little diversity of opinion can exist upon this 

 point, it is frequently contended that the expenses and the 

 uncertainty, attending the reduction in temperature of a 

 large body of meat on board ship, would preclude the idea 

 of any commercial advantage being derived from an enter- 

 prise based upon this process. I shall endeavour in this 

 paper to show that it is possible, by mechanical means, to 

 reduce and to maintain at a temperature considerably below 



