The Iola register., 1886-10-01
USEFUL INVENTION.


A Process by which Fresh Fish Ca. Re
Preserved for Many MOnths
An important step in advance Of the
preservation of food, more particularly
fresh fish, has been made by Mr.. August
X. Roosen. of Hamburg. who has in-
vented process which promises very
largely to conserve and cheaper fish
supplies by preventing the Wholesale
waste which frequently occurs in fish
markets. The process is very simple.
and can be carried out by any ordinary
fisherman. 1t consists in placing the
fish directly they are caught in a steel
barrel, a number of which may be car
ricd ON board fishing-smacks or other
vessels. The fish having been placed in
the barrel it is then filled up with an
antiseptic solution consisting of boracic
acid. tartaric acid. salt. and water. the
proportions being three per cent. of the
antiseptics and ninety-seven per cent. Of
water. The barrel is then closed by
means of an air-tight lid fitted with a
small valve connection, to which is tenn
pOrarily attached tube from Il small
hydraulic hand pump. With this pump
water is forced into the barrel (the air
being at the same time expelled until
the gauge indicates pressure OF about
sixty pounds per square inch. when the
tube is disconnected, and the operation
of packing is complete, the pressure
from the inside closing the valve and
keeping it closed. To open the barrel
a small stOp-nut is first unscrewed,
which relieves the pressure, the lid is
then taken of, and the contents of the
barrel removed. The process has been
under practical trial for about a year,
and having proved to be in every re-
spect q success, private demOnstra-
ton of the invention was given recently
ut No. 63 COrnhill, London. to a NUM-
Der of scientific and other gentlemen
interested in the question of food pre-
servatiOn. The demonstration was con-
Quoted by Mr.. A. SwierzchOwski. as
representing Mr.. ROosen, who has done
much in perfecting the practical details
of the invention. A cask containing Il
number of fine salmon. which had been
caught at MOntrOse and placed in the
solution on July II, was opened and the
fish taken out. The flesh was perfectly
firm. and on cutting a fish in halves it
presented every appearance OF having
been freshly caught. At y luncheon
which followed this salmon was pre-
served. some grilled and some bottled,
and the perfect flavor and quality of the
fish were unguestiOnable. One OF the
visitors stated that in order to satisfy
himself he had followed the salmon
to the kitchen, and had seen it
gri,led and brought up to table.
1t should be stated that the anti
septic solution is perfectly harmless.
The casks hold about three hundred
pounds of fish each. and the operation
of expelling thoair and putting on the
pressure only occupies about ten min
utes. On being discharged from the
vessels the casks of fish can be for
warded to the inland centerS of con-
sumption. where they need not he
opened until the contents are absolutely
required. Or the casks may be empted
from the ship and the fish sent up by
rail in packages, as it is stated that the
fish will keep fresh for several days af-
ter being taken from the casks. a
great economy. too. will be effected by
adopting water carriage for the fish
thus preserved instead of transit by
railway. Among the many practical
tests to which the process has been put,
fish preserved by it have been sent from
Norway TO London. and from Shetland
to different parts of Scotland. The i'll
vention is not confined TO the preserva.
ton of fish, although it has hitherto been
tested mainly in this direction. OnJuly
! a steel cask in which quantity of beef
had been placed under pressure on Feb
ruary last was opened at Copenhagen.
some having been boiled and some
roasted. 1t is stated that those who
partook of it pronounced the flavor in
both cases to be perfectly good. 1t
would thus appear TO be very impor.
tant invention as regards the preServa-
ton of fresh food, particularly fish,
Chicago Times.