liebig's  extract  of  meat.  145 
diminished.  According  to  a  recent  communication  received  from 
Mr.  Seekamp,  34  lbs.  of  fresh  lean  meat  yielded  only  1  lb  of 
extract  as  manufactured  at  Fray  Bentos  (corresponding  with  45 
to  48  lbs  of  butchers'  meat,  inclusive  of  fat  and  bones). 
It  has  been  observed  that  the  color  and  taste  of  the  Fray 
Bentos  extract  vary ;  this  is  owing  to  the  difference  of  sex  and 
age  of  the  animals. 
The  meat  of  oxen  always  yields  an  extract  of  darker  color  and 
stronger  flavor,  reminding  somewhat  of  the  flavor  of  fresh  venison, 
pleasant  when  diluted ;  the  extract  of  cows'  meat  is  of  lighter 
color,  and  a  mild  flavor,  and  is  preferred  by  many  persons. 
The  meat  of  animals  under  four  years  old  cannot  be  used  for  the 
manufacture  of  the  extract ;  it  yields  a  pappy  extract  of  weak 
taste,  like  veal,  and  without  flavor. 
According  to  the  predominance  of  ox  or  cows'  meat,  the  color 
and  taste  of  extract  varies,  which  is  by  no  means  a  fault  of  the  man- 
ufacturing process,  as  is  fully  explained  by  the  preceding  re- 
marks. The  extract  of  ox  meat  is,  however,  richer  in  creatinine 
and  sarkin  than  cows'  meat  extract. 
The  extract  received  from  Munich,  and  examined  by  Messrs. 
Deane  and  Brady,  was  cows'  meat  extract — the  Bavarian  Phar- 
macopoeia prescribing  the  use  of  cows'  meat,  and  not  of  ox 
meat. 
These  gentlemen  observed  that  they  never  experimented  on  a 
sample  which  they  had  any  reason  to  believe  to  be  adulterated 
with  chloride  of  sodium  (common  salt).  My  experience  has 
taught  me  that  such  falsification,  more  especially  by  retail  dealers, 
is  by  no  means  a  rare  occurrence,  and  it  is  even  practised  by 
manufacturers. 
I  hold  a  sample  of  extract,  manufactured  by  Dr.  Tenner,  of 
Darmstadt,  containing  9  per  cent,  of  common  salt,  and,  besides, 
26  per  cent,  of  water  more  than  the  Fray  Bentos  extract.  He 
sells  it  in  jars,  with  the  labels  stating  that  the  extract  is  pre- 
pared "according  to  Liebig's  process." 
It  is  extremely  difficult,  as  regards  extracts  of  meat,  the  gen- 
uineness and  purity  of  which  are  not  discoverable  by  the  eye, 
to  protect  the  public  against  fraud ;  all  manufacturers  prepare 
their  extract  according  to  what  they  call  "  Liebig's  process  ;  " 
10 
