*^Tiam*'}  On  Meat  and  the  Methods  of  Preserving  It.  125 
ganic  constituents  capable  of  producing  the  effects  of  the  extract  itself, 
as  is  evidenced  by  the  recent  discovery  of  carnine,  the  physiological 
effect  of  which  is,  according  to  the  experiments,  more  than  doubtful. 
Liebig  states  that  "  the  extract,  which  is  produced  by  extracting 
meat  by  cold  water,  is  the  nourishment  for  the  muscle  ;"  but  the  meat 
liquor  is  not  only  the  agent  of  transmitting  the  nourishment  from  the 
blood  to  the  muscles,  it  also  contains  the  waste  products  formed  dur- 
ing the  action  of  the  muscles.  Liebig  in  preparing  his  extract,  how- 
ever, excludes  the  real  nourishment  by  coagulating  it  and  carefully 
collects  the  products  of  decomposition  for  the  good  of  humanity. 
But,  if  the  alkalies  alone  constitute  the  value  of  this  extract,  is 
there  not  a  waste  of  most  valuable  material?  The  interest  of  the 
manufacturer  will  not  be  disputed,  but  why  does  the  intelligent  con- 
sumer pay  dollars  for  that  which  he  might  buy  for  a  fewr  cents? 
The  fact  is,  that  the  public  is  as  yet  in  the  dark;  the  published  ex- 
periments are  known  in  most  cases  only  to  scientific  men  and  com- 
mand attention,  while  the  want  of  support  by  illustrious  names  makes 
them  soon  forgotten.  For  the  proper  utilization  of  meat,  the  albu- 
minous as  well  as  the  extractive  portion  must  be  preserved,  for  the 
former  not  only  re-supplies  the  body  with  albumen,  which  had  be- 
come decomposed  by  the  action  of  the  muscles,  but  serves  also  as  a 
combustible,  while  the  extractive  portion  is  necessary  for  a  proper 
digestion.  Let  us  see  how  these  requirements  are  fulfilled  by  the 
methods  in  vogue  for  the  utilization  and  preservation  of  meat. 
When  meat  is  salted,  it  is  treated  with  an  excess  of  salts  (common 
salt  and  saltpetre),  which  absorb  the  water,  forming  a  concentrated 
solution,  which  contains  besides  these  salts  much  of  the  extractive 
portion  of  the  meat.  This  solution  is  removed  before  using  the  meat, 
and  the  latter  is  even  soaked  in  fresh  water  for  some  time,  to  remove 
the  excess  of  salts.  It  is  evident  that  such  meat  is  very  poor  in  ex- 
tractive salts,  and  for  this  reason  very  difficult  to  digest. 
The  action  of  smoke  depends  upon  the  carbolic  or  cresylic  acid  con- 
tained therein.  These  substances  coagulate  the  albumen  and  fibrin, 
and  thus  prevent  decomposition.  Smoked  meat  is  therefore  not  so 
easily  digested  as  raw  beef,  since  not  only  the  gastric  juice  must  re- 
move the  carbolic  acid  before  digestion  is  possible,  but  the  albumen 
and  fibrin,  being  already  coagulated,  will  resist  more  strongly  the  dis- 
solving action  of  the  juice.  The  conditions  will  be  even  more  unfav- 
orable for  a  proper  digestion,  if  the  salting  and  smoking  process  have 
been  combined. 
