The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-02-14
EMBAitMED BEEF.

composition of salicylic acid and
borax will preserve meats for con-
siderable period of time. The manu-
facture OF this article is now a large
industry in the States. 1t is sold as
"Preservaline.' For some years the
fishermen of Cape Cod have used it
in the place of ice for preserving fresh
fish daily sent to the western market
No complaint has been made against
it. For many years it has been used
by the wholesale dealers in oysters
who dissolve it in the barrels contain
ing freshly opened oysters. It has
been extensively used for many years
by milkmen in the preservation of
milk, although its use is prohibited
by law. 1t has been used for the pres
ervation of meat on these Islands, in
past years, but has, for some reason
been discarded. A piece of meat
wrapped up in a cloth saturated with
this preservative, and kept moist will
retain it's sweetness for many days
without injuring the quality of the
L.
German army. Some years ago, under
the name of Rex Magnus,' it was
advertised at an enormous expense by
a stock company, but housekeepers
and servants were afraid of it, and
it never came into general domestic
use. The preserving qualities OF this
article are simply in the exclusion OF
oxygen from the article that is to be
preserved. A surface washing OF the
meat generally removes any taste Of
the acid Innumerable experiments
have been made in cooking heef-steaks.
some of which were fresh from the
butchers shops, and others kept in
the Dreservaline for weeks in hot
weather. Experts have not been able
TO detect any difference in the quality
or taste of the meats While physi-
clans and chemists have not regarded
this composition with favor. it is ad-
mitted that it is not distinctly injuri-
GUS because, in the case Of meats 1t IS
readily removed by washing.
1t is probable that. the "embalmed
beef" denounced by Gen. Miles, and
which is the cause of his controversy
with Gen. Eagan, had been preserved
by this article.
AS it was difficult, if not impossible,
to provide sufficient refrigeratlng
space, for the beef supply Of the army
in Cuba, it is probable that this artl-
Gle has been used by the beef eontrac-
tors. The plan of furnishing fresh
beef from Chicago to an army IN
Cuba, over two thousand miles dis
tant, was experimental. Even if kept
in good condition on transports, there
have been no facilities for keeping the
beef in good condition, after it was
taken from the transports, and expos
ed TO tropical heat.
The use of the word ''embalmed" is
unfortunate 1t created a prejudice
against meat so preserved.
Some years ago, the British govern
ment,. in order to enlarge the ration OF
the soldiers in India, added the best
Chicago canned corned beef, Of which
millions of cans are used by seamen
miners. and private families. Tommy
Atkins" the British soldier refused tC
eat it, and charged the government
with a conspiracy to injure his health
Only by adroit management was the
soldier finally persuaded to use III
Prejudices regarding food are violent
Gen. Eagan was probably not aware
of the use of preservaline in protecting
the beef supplied to the army. While
Gen Miles may correctly call it ''em
balmed beef" it is by no means GER
sain that this preparation of beef may
not be the only practical way of feed