131 
LARD, AND ITS PREPARATION FOR USE IN PHARMACY. 
small pieces, then washed, next gently heated until it becomes clear and trans¬ 
parent, lastly, strained through fine linen, and gently stirred until it becomes 
white and opaque. 
The Paris Codex directs the membrane and red pieces to be removed from 
the flare, cut into pieces, beaten in a marble mortar, and heated in a water-bath 
until the whole is melted and clear, then strained, and stirred gently until it 
becomes white and opaque. 
The London Pharmacopoeia of 1824 directed hog’s fat to be melted over a 
slow fire, and strained through linen. 
The Pharmacopoeia, 1836, directed the lard of the shops to be washed. 
The Pharmacopoeia, 1851, gave no instructions for its preparation, but 
sapiently suggested that salted lard should not be used. 
The British Pharmacopoeia ordered the fat to be cut into small pieces, and 
liquefied in a water-bath at 212° F., strained through fine linen, and again 
heated in the same way, until it became clear, and entirely free from water. 
The last (1867) British Pharmacopoeia modifies the process of the P.B. 1864, 
by directing the membranes to be removed as much as possible, the fat cut into 
small pieces, and broken up with the hands while a current of water is running 
through it, then as much water as possible drained away, the fat heated to 
212° F., and strained through flannel, the residue being pressed while hot, it is 
then put into a steampan, heated to a little above 212° F., stirring constantly 
until it becomes clear, and entirely free from water, finally, strain through 
flannel. 
The immense difficulty, I might almost say impossibility, of purchasing really 
good lard, capable of being kept a reasonable time without becoming rancid, 
induced me, some few years ago, to take to making my own lard, and after re¬ 
peated trials, with more or less success, I find the following plan gives the best 
and most satisfactory results. 
First cut the flare into pieces about the size of a walnut, and allow it then 
to stand for half an hour covered with water, then work it well up with the 
hands in five or six successive portions of water, next, having drained off as 
much water as possible, place the whole in a water-bath, and as soon as melted, 
strain through fine linen. In this first straining it will be impossible to get rid 
of all the water, so that after cooling, and pouring away the separated water, it 
is necessary to remelt in a water-bath, and, finally, carefully filter through paper 
in a warm closet. 
Now, I do not know how much my plan may differ from those in ordinary 
use, but the three essential points to be remarked are— 
1st. The repeated washings. 
2nd. The re-melting. 
3rd. The filtering. 
I am not prepared to say if the washings remove any matter in a state of in¬ 
cipient decomposition, but this I do know, that if the washings be omitted, the 
lard will not keep good so long a time, as with the washings. With regard to 
the re-melting, the object of this is to get rid of the whole of the water, for if 
any of this be retained by the lard, it becomes a very fertile source of rancidity. 
Sometimes I have noticed a number of most beautifully coloured mould 
patches, some scarlet, or blue, pink, green, and indeed nearly a dozen different 
tints. I prefer this method of removing the water to the P.B. process of 
heating to 212° F. until it is expelled, simply because it is most important that 
the temperature applied should be as low as possible, and as lard melts at 100° F., 
a few degrees above this is all that is required. There is no difficulty in re¬ 
moving the last traces of water, inasmuch as the fat being specifically lighter 
than water, floats on the surface, and when filtering, the last dregs, which con¬ 
tain all the water, should be rejected. 
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