New-York tribune., 1878-12-28
SCIENCE FOR. THE PEOPLE.

Preserving MEATs.--ln a series OF lectures
hsfore the British Society of Arts, Dr. b. W. Richardson
has bean calling attention 70 putrefactve ehahgcS a
ys preservation Of animal substances one OF lne os
remarkable OF the many experiments made oy inc iee
,rer was with cyanogen gas Dr. Richardson does NOT
recommend this poisonous agent Tor tue pfeser'aHoo
intended for food but he calls attention 70
asme of the striking results of the action OF he gas
I'm my research" saws DR.. Richardson. used sa'u
rated alcoholic solution. The mode OF procedure was
G.. follows: Tue specimens Of beef and mutton TWO
nounds each we're placed in glass ars the Jars were
charged With coke vapor, and when quite reauS
ed quantity Of the alcoholic solution OF cyno
cen was introduced from q graduated syringe. 1"e
stopper OF the jar immediately inserted hrmV Sc
epred and closely sealed down. After many exper-
nents found that thirty minims OF the aicohoNc so
tion OF the gas was the sufficient measure for the
perfect result OF preventing pureiactNe chahSe'
or thirtys,x specimens sent out, on a return
VOYAGE all came back completely preserved vi
the same number Of specimens retained at bome
In room heated up $40 Fahr., all remained Ill HKe
manner free of putrefaotIye change When specimen
90 preserved taken out OF the jar is found 10 De co
of any taint Of putrefaton There is no escape OF gas
from the bottle there ia change OF coor there Is no
unnatural softDess and unnatural hardness OF the
structure The only popularity that is noticed IS ias
odor OF the cyanogen which lasts even after exposure
of the structure the air for long time Exposed 10
the air, the meat retains it's freshness as long as
served much than ordinarily cooked fresh meat
Two specimens Of meat Of beef the other OF mutton
after being preserved by t1is plan ana aGr max
u arer by tie side OF other sDecimens OF Deet ana OF
mutton of the same SIZE when 9aa oeen gEs w
changed and were covered with mould, the cyanOeeh
specimens were Ms fresh replaced tie changed
prices py others freshly cooked, and when again
these were decomposing. the cyanogen speemens con-
eleven days and finding tnat they longer gave forth
odor OF cysnogen fed dog with some OF the NUT
the remainder The meat had been through an extreme
uFP e to and ae after sG COOKING
eleven days-yet It ate as naturally as II II mad oee9
killed two days only, and cooked brit Few hors. All
can report about IL as peculiar is that 1t had very
slight bitterness like the bitterness which s tasted sOme
In an extremely diluted form. In natural meats, in
The flesh OF the pheasant specially the same taste COM
monty present"
FROST AND FODDER PLANTs.-As the cold
season II is often complaint OF farmers that
fodder plants are frozen. German chemist. Dr.
Paage has been inquirng to the effect Of frost on
such plants cabbage plants etc and the best mode OF
utilizing frozen plants The principal change effected
by the frost lie finds to be formation OF sugar from
starchfOur; ana sugar has nutrtve value eorre-
spending the quantity of starchfour from which
has been produced, he considers that no reduction fn
the nutriye value the plants through freez
Ing Care must he taken however, about the delivery
OF the frozen plants First they should not be given In
the low OF temperature they possess ana then
(probably from the formation Of dasatc ferments),
they pass into putrefacon, and SO may easily do HARM
Tney probably best used when gwen as f0dder -
medlatey after thawng after preparation by steep
ing hot water OF steaming. long time after lhaw.
ing frozen plants cannot be given as fodder without
danger.
ELECTRIC ILLUNnNATION.-Mr. w. II. Preece,
the electrician to the British Post Office, inclined to
look upon the present activity about the electric light
RS one of those sensational which seize the pub
lie periodically at intervals Of about ten years He has
not yet the electric light. lie went 10 Paris
and every where the electric light could be seen
but had laid down three desiderata, which be had
not found accomplished. The first that the light
be absolutely steady secondly. ii must be brill
lant giving light of 1000 candles, more thirdly,
Il must be durable. OF all the lights, the Only ono he
had seen which came TO his standard of Drllliancy
the SerTin the only one which came up 10 his cI-
erion OF steadiness the Werdermann and the only
sufficiently durable was the wallace, Oy whcn ne
meant which would last all night, and nights in
England sometimes lasted eighteen hours. Bot there
were several which came pretty near these crlteria
PRESERVATION OF IRoN.-The French Gov
ernment been introducing into OF its arsenal
manufacturers the Bar method OF brOnzng preserv
ing ron The process consists in inclOsng tho articles
to be preserved in cylinder closed at both ends aud
subjected dry pressure OF from two TO two
and half atmOspheres for five hours the cylinder being
kept meantime in and its internal temperature
maintained at from G26' 644o Fahrenheit. cover
ing OF greenshblack cOlcr is then obtained which adj
heres firmly aud perfectly stable Hot air has also
substituted for the steam with considerable sue
cess. After removing them from the apparatus they are
rubbed with greasy cloth; stains II any, are removed
with emery paper irOndus Ii has been found that
elevation of temperature under pressure OF one
atmosphere very thick layeris obtained, which, how
ever scales of easily The adherence is, therefore,
question of temperature and not off PRESSURE as was
formerly supposed. Various trials have been made,
showing the practcability OF using the process ON
large scale. The cost of the process is but rihDg.