The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-20
A New Aptisoptic.


New York and Boston arc greatly ex.
cited over the discovery OF a now antlsep-
tic solution which. it is claimed, IS des.
tined to rcvolut,onize all existing methods
for the transportation Of perishable goods
ny rail- and sea. 1t seems that several
years ago one Professor Il. r. Humistoh,
In remote western village, was appealed
10 as practical chemist to embalm hu.
man body for long transportation. The
need came upon him unexpectedly, and
his facilities were mcagre. but his attempt
was wonder fully successful. Reflection
convinced him that the process which thus
80 remarkably preserved human corpse
could be made to serve living humanity
ny the protractcd, economical, and health
tul preservation OF flesh food.
The study and experiments which led
up 10 present results have covered three
years, and have gone along under the cog
! n,zance and encouragement Of prominent
Eastern gentlemen, among whom are j.
Willard Rice, of Boston, brother Of Elk.
Governor Rice of Massachusetts, and head
ot the well-known paper house Of Rice,
Kendall & Co.; and Edward Burnett, also
OF Boston, son of Dr.. Joseph Burnett, a
relative OF our Dlluister to England. Mr.
Lowell, and owner OF the celebrated Deer
loot farm near Boston. All tho while
confident assertion and general publicity
have been madc 10 wait upon actual ac-
compliShment, and am but now able to
give to the tubllc, for the first time,
through the Daily News, an outline of
what these discoveries have really done.
as well as of a crucial test begun tho other
day under my own eye by Samuel w.
johnson, professor of agricultural chcms-
try in Yale college.
Professor Humlston, some time since,
claimed that his antlscptic preparations
would preserve meats, fish, fowl, oysters,
milk, cream, etc, In perfect aud even I'M
proved condition, tor from three weeks to
three months, and dIsinterested gentlemen
In Boston, Baltimore, and other cities were
asked to witness experiments and assume
charge and control Of articles of fo)d
treated by the new process. Mr.. Burnett,
OF Boston, at his farm, became the custo
dian of the foods there operated upon,
which were sausages milk, cream, etc,
merchantable products Of the farm, and
which have given it great fame. MIR. Bur.
nett has signed statement afflrming the
absolute perfection Of tho antiseplic's
work. lie Gays that he never before could
ship sausages during hot weather or tho
age CT loss, and never sent seaside cuato-
mers cream and milk before, but that last
summer nc freely shipped sausagcs, cream,
milk, etc, treated by the Humiston pr,.
cess. without loss, and that he now cm-
plo.R the antiseptic III all his products,
ships freely without refrigeration or other
| agencies, and not only escapes all loss, but
saves heavy expense and gives his custo-
mers degree Of satisfaction shay never
| expressed before. ""|'"'''
lre anl1septic, pungent, scJais!,a ,GoIs-
ing powder, had been dissolved in. water
the previous evening by Profs. johnson
and Humlston-perhaps common wash.
tub full, IN slonc jars Of various sizes-at
wh:ch time Prof. Humiston drank six
ounces OF the mixture as an evidence of
Its harmlessness. The meats and fowl,
punctured In their thicker parts, were
simply immersed in tho hquld; and re.
maned therein from two TO twenty hours
A small quantity of it was poured into
and miuglcd with the cream. Tho oyst.
! crs, after pouring off their liquor, were
| immcreed IN somewhat different solution
Of the antiscptic adapted to this specially
difficult task Ono piece OF steak was
simply wrapned in a towel wet with the
general so,l.,. and laid in tho inverted
Id of a Jar. e whole process was 80
simple that Guild of a dozen years could
perform it with the brlefest verbal lnstruc-
ton. At suitable times tho immersed ar
tlcIcs wero removed from the solution aud
simply hung up On hooks and nails in the
open air Of the laboratory, whore they arc
to remain ut least three weeks.
There ls to bo no access to the labora-
tory during THE time, except by Professor
Johnson or in his presence. The tempera-
ture therein is to be kept as uniform as
practicable, at between 70 deg. and 50
deg. Fahrenneit, observation and record
of which 10 to be made by tho professor
twice daily. Prof. Humiston has gono
a;s way aud will not probably seo thu IN
boratory or its contents again till the tcBt
shall be completed--at all events he is not
to touch tho articles again till then. At
the end Of three weeks the five gentlemen
will again meet IN tho laboratory. Prof.
Johnson IN their presence will take down
and Inspect the articles and certify to their
exact condition, after which, If they arc
In the condition expected, they will be
cooked by New Haven caterer and
served ut dlnncr to the scientific gentle
men and their co.observcrs. If the anti
septic fails the professor IN charge of tho
articles will dispose of them very sum-
marly.
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