'^f the Pyroligiioii$ Acid. '^25 
Although it is thus evident that fish may be preserved with- 
out the intervention of salt ; yet mankind are so accustomed to 
the habitual use of salt in the preservation of food of almost every 
species, that my next experiments were made with the view of 
uniting these antiseptics in the curing of provisions. 
A number of very fine haddocks were cleaned, split, and 
slightly sprinkled with salt for six hours. After being drained, 
they were dipped for about three seconds in pyrolignous acid, 
then hung on a spit in the shade for eight days before being 
used. On being broiled, the fish were of an uncommonly fine 
flavour, delicately white, and were equal to what are called Fin- 
nan Haddocks, which are so much esteemed. As a comparative 
experiment, I allowed one of the fish to remain twelve hours in 
the pyrolignous acid ; on withdrawing it, it was soft and tender, 
which showed that the acid had begun to decompose the mus- 
cular fibre of the fish. On broiling it, it had the same bad qua- 
lities of the herrings which were too long steeped in the acid, 
and was unpalatable, from the strong empyreuma and acid 
taste. 
Herrings w^ere cured in the same manner, and with the same 
success, by being first slightly cured with salt, drained, and 
then immersed in the pyrolignous acid. After being dried in the 
shade for two months, the quality and flavour were equal to 
those of any red herring which I ever tasted, and the fish re- 
tained the shining and fresh appearance w^hich they have when 
taken from the sea. 
When these experiments were begun in July 1819, the mana- 
ger at the works in wFich I am interested, dipped a piece of fresh 
beef in pyrolignous acid of the specific gravity of 1,012. It was 
not immersed more than one minute : it is now in my possession, 
(March 4th 1820), and is as free from taint as on the day when 
the experiment was made, in July : no salt w^as here used. 
He at the same time dipped a piece of beef in piire vinegar, tiie 
specific gravity of wdiich w’^as 1,009 ; he informed me that on the 
18th of November last it was perfectly free from taint, when, 
being broiled, it had a very agreeable sub-acid taste. From the 
latter circumstance, it appears that vinegar possesses in a certain 
degree the same antiseptic quality as the pyrolignous acid. Since 
