158 
ON  EXTRACT  OF  MEAT. 
and  introduction  of  the  different  "  extracts  of  meat  "  now  offered 
for  sale  in  Europe,  we  have  thought  that  the  formula  of  a  prep- 
aration of  a  similar  nature,  prepared  by  us,  and  for  the  last 
seven  years  extensively  used  in  this  country  by  the  United 
States  medical  department  and  in  private  practice,  might  prove 
of  some  slight  interest  to  the  members  of  this  Asssociation.  We 
therefore  beg  leave  to  submit  our  process  of  its  manufacture, 
together  with  a  specimen  of  our  product,  as  also  a  sample  of  ex- 
tract of  meat  prepared  in  accordance  with  Liebig's  formula. 
After  numerous  and  repeated  experiments,  and  with  the  re- 
sults kindly  furnished  us  by  several  prominent  physicians,  we 
have  been  led  to  believe  that  an  "  extract  of  flesh  "  containing 
the  albumen  of  the  meat,  would  prove  more  desirable  and  accept- 
able than  one  deprived  of  that  highly  essential  element,  and  with 
that  view  have  based  our  process  upon  the  simple  principle  of 
percolation,  as  applied  to  the  preparation  of  medicinal  fluid  ex- 
tracts. 
10,000  lbs.  (this  being  the  quantity  usually  used  at  one  opera- 
tion) of  fresh  beef,  deprived  of  bone,  fat  and  sinew,  finely 
chopped,  are  macerated  with  cold  water  for  about  two  hours. 
Steam  is  then  introduced  into  the  vats  in  which  it  is  contained 
until  the  temperature  of  the  mass  indicates  120°  Fahr  ;  care 
being  taken  to  stir  the  meat  frequently.  The  resulting  liquid 
is  then  drawn  off",  strained  and  set  aside.  To  the  residue,  water 
is  again  added,  heat  applied  to  point  of  ebullition,  and  so  con- 
tinued for  some  hours ;  the  resulting  liquor  is  then  obtained  by 
gentle  pressure,  and  is  immediately  transferred  to  the  vacuum 
pan  which  receives  the  first  drmuing,  when  the  preceding  is  re- 
duced to  one-fourth  its  original  bulk.  The  evaporation  is  then 
continued  until  one  pound  of  the  extract  in  question  represents 
twenty  pounds  of  pure  meat,  when  it  is  poured  in  china  jars, 
then  covered  with  waxed  paper,  and  recently,  as  tending  to- 
wards its  preservation,  we  coat  the  paper  with  tincture  of  tolu. 
It  will  be  observed  in  the  foregoing  that  the  object  in  drawing 
off  the  first  maceration  at  a  low  temperature  is  to  obtain  the 
albumen  in  almost  an  unaltered  condition,  and  to  retain  it,  by 
adding  it  to  the  result  of  the  second  operation,  onli/  when  the 
latter  shall  have  attained  the  necessary  consistence  to  preserve  it. 
