, 1882-04-05

cwn quickly-Secured tit-bit in a happy
blending of fat and lean with the gelati-
nous portions, which, carefully cooked,
becomes, when cold, a delicious ready
made Drawn. The fIppers, a good deal
boiled, make capital soup. The bones of
the dugong, being Of great density, close
grained, and capable of taking a high
polish, might probably be usel i'll substi-
tuition for ivory. The ivory tuskS are in
great request for knife-handleS. Austria
liza at the present time absorbS nearly all
the dugOng oil that is manufactured but
it is idle to suppose that either the capa-
biIitieS or the Queensland waters for sup
plying the dugong, or the utlliSation OF
the creature when captured, have been
thoroughly tested the supply is never
abreast of the demand. Little is known
of the habits of the dugong the exact
range of its habitat has not been defined.
But the value of dug0ng oil is established
beyond doubt. To Dr.. Hobbs, an esteem
ed and long-reSident public mar in Bris-
banp. belongs the credit of the discovery;
and his early description of the therapeutic
qualities Of the oil, based upon expert
mcnts with his own patients, remains not
only unQuestioned, but confirmed by the
experience of five a~nd-tWenty years. 1t
possesses all the medicinal qualities of
cod-liver oil, without the unpleasant taste
of that familiar curative. In its pure
state it can be taken without diSagreeing
with the most sensitive stomach. | have
myself used it instead Of butter with toast;
and have eaten delicate pastry made from
du@ong lard; have fried fish with it and,
as a consequence. have never since ceased to
wonder that some better effort is not
attempted to make it more widely Known.
Consumption, the SCourge of the old cOun-
try, finds an unfriend.y atmosphere IN
Queensland, where have known consump-
tiyeS. landing with the disease to all appCae-
ance hopelessly advanced, become in a
few years healthy if not robust, Yet, even
there, themoSt marvellous ctIectsarr 'ttrlbu-
ted to dugOug oil in cases OF rheumatism,
and wasting as we'll as ordinary COnSump-
ton. met with a well authenticated
instance of a man who was unable TO take
medicine or nouriShment, kept alive by an
outward application of the lard sediment
of dugong oil. 1t was rubbed constantly
into the skin, and lard p@IaSters were kept
on the pit Of the stomach, until the pa
tient WIS able to take the oil in the ordl-
nary manner, and rejoice in ultimate re-
covpry. And | have known ladies who
%shuddered at the bare notion of swallow
ing oil, derive benefits from its adaptation
to ali manner of culinary purposes. The
process of extracting the oil at Strad-
broke Island was, | presume, tina follow
ed in the few stations engaged i'll it. If
the dugong offered enough fatty induce
ment, the bacon was boiled down, and
the oil run off through a tap, or removed
by the more homely device of skimming.
1t should be quite clear. positively favour
less, and without odour; but this comb,
nation Of qualities, which distinguishes it
from cod liver oil, can only be attained
by the incest rendering.' The largest
quantity can be made by trying out
which is, roughly speaking, frying in a
Brobdingnagian kettle. In this way, how
ever, the quality suffers; and thus, though
boiling involves more waste, that is found
to be the best-and in the long run, there
fore, most remuneratiye-SyStem. In cool
ing, a careful filtration through flannel
bags is observed, and the sediment is the
white lard to which reference has been
made. The yield from an average dugong
would be about five gallons and the mi
nimum may be set down at three, and the
maximum at ten gallons"
The Jeanette.