76 
REMARKS  ON  EXTRACT  OF  MEAT. 
v 
their  organization.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  anatomists 
can  make  use  of  this  process  in  many  cases;  as,  for  instance, 
in  the  microscopical  examination  of  the  kidneys,  pancreas, 
&c,  and  particularly  in  those  which  have  hitherto  required 
the  solidification  of  the  object  by  chromic  acid,  &c.  The  use 
of  the  ether  in  a  liquid  form  is  frequently  not  necessary.  The 
skin  of  animals,  animal  membrane,  &c,  readily  assume,  in  an 
atmosphere  saturated  with  the  vapor  of  ether,  containing  a 
suitable,  strongly  hygroscopic  substance,  a  condition  similar 
to  that  of  white  dressed  leather.  A  like  satisfactory  result, 
however,  is  not  obtained  in  the  desiccation  of  inorganic  sub- 
stances, oxide  of  iron,  alumina,  &c,  in  artificial  media. 
It  is  obvious  that  this  process  may  be  rendered  useful,  under 
suitable  modifications,  for  other  purposes.  It  is  a  ready  me- 
thod, according  to  Eeischauer,  for  removing  acid  bodies  solu- 
ble in  ether  from  their  aqueous  solutions,  by  putting  them 
into  an  ethereal  liquid  with  caustic  lime  or  potassa. — ZeiU. 
Anal.  Chimie  from  Dinql.  Polyt.  Journ. 
REMARKS  ON  EXTRACTS  OF  MEAT. 
By  Henry  B.  Brady,  F.  L.  S.,  etc. 
(This  was  a  short  verbal  communication,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  as  full  a  report  as  can  be  furnished.) 
The  author  stated  that  he  should  not  have  ventured  to  occupy 
the  time  of  the  Conference,  already  over-crowded  with  business, 
still  less  would  he  have  intruded  on  the  regular  order  of  written 
papers,  but  for  the  concluding  remarks  in  the  President's 
address,  and  the  desire  which  had  been  expressed  by  several 
members  that  he  should  open  the  subject  for  discussion  at  that 
sitting. 
There  were  several  forms  in  which  the  soluble  extractive  of 
meat  had  been  used,  either  for  general  dietetic  purposes,  or  for 
the  convenience  of  the  sick-room:  the  most  important  were 
those  obtained  from  beef,  and  he  would  confine  his  remarks  to 
them.  Firstly,  there  were  the  fluid  preparations  represented  by 
Gallon's  "essence  of  beef;"  secondly,  those  of  gelatinous  con- 
sistence, of  which  excellent  examples  were  largely  sold  by  one 
