IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE- SERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES, AND ANIMAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES USED FOR FOOD
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Hett, of the City of London, Doctor of
Medicine, and Frederick William Basset, of Camberwell, in the County
⚫ of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE-
SERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES, AND ANIMAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES USED FOR
FOOD."
Sealed the 23rd February 1864, and dated the 25th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Hett and
Frederick William Basset at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 25th August 1863.
We, ALEXANDER HETT, of the City of London, Doctor of Medicine, and
FREDERICK WILLIAM BASSET, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRESERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES, AND ANIMAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
USED FOR FOOD," to be as follows :—
These improvements consist in treating the meat or other substances to be
preserved with solutions of certain salts by dipping or steeping therein or by
otherwise applying the said solutions to their surfaces and then drying them

page_text: externally by exposure to the air either in its natural state or when heated by
artificial means, the meat or other substance after being thus treated can be
kept from undergoing the putrefactive fermentation, and for short periods such
treatment is suflicient, but if required to be kept for a long period it may
further be coated or protected by a covering of certain substances hereafter
named in order to effectually retain the moisture therein. The salts to be
used are those known as sulphites, and also those known as nitrites, and we
generally prefer for the purpose that known as sulphites of potash or pertassa,
but we do not confine ourselves to the use of this salt.
The manner in which we would generally prefer to apply or use the above
mentioned is this,-We prepare a solution of the salt in water, usually about
the proportion of from three-quarters of an ounce to an ounce thereof in one
pint of water, and we add to this solution a sufficient quantity of gum or other
mucilage, we then dip or immerse the substance to be preserved therein for a
longer period or shorter, according to its size and nature, usually from two to
ten minutes is sufficient for the purpose, we sometimes use the solutions
without the addition of gum or mucilage. After taking the meat or other
substances out of the solution we hang in some convenient situation or place
the same to drain and dry, and then keep it untill the surface is free from damp
or moisture. The meat is thus fully prepared for any length of exposure to
the atmosphere, but would of course after lengthened exposure at last become
dried up by the gradual evaporation of its moisture, in order to prevent this a
protection or coating may be employed by dipping it either into melted tallow,
suet, wax, (either by itself or mixed with other substances to give it tenacity,)
gum or gelatine the solution of gum or gelatine being used either by itself or
mixed with treacle or glycerine, or it may be embedded in such tallow, such gum,
or gelatine, or it may be wrapped in cloths, papers, or other coverings dipped
or coated with tallow, wax, or any of the above-named articles, or be placed in
tins or casks, and the vacant spaces be filled by pouring in such substances or
mixtures.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Hett and Frederick William Basset in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 25th February 1864.

page_text: BASSET, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alexander Bett and Frederick William Basset, Her special licence that
we, the said Alexander Hett and Frederick William Basset, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alexander Hett
and Frederick William Basset, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES, AND ANIMAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES USED FOR
Food," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alexander Hett
and Frederick William Basset, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our or their bands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alexander Hett and Frederick William
Basset, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof :-
These improvements consist in treating the meat or other substances to be
preserved with solutions of certain salts by dipping or steeping them therein, or
by otherwise applying the said solutions to their surfaces, and then drying them
externally by exposure to the air, either in its natural state or when heated by
artificial means. The meat or other substance after being thus treated can
be kept from undergoing the putrefactive fermentation. And for short periods
such treatment is sufficient, but if required to be kept for a long period it may
further be coated or protected by a covering of certain substances hereafter.
named, in order to effectually retain the moisture therein.
The salts to be used are those known as sulphites and also those known as
nitrites, and we generally prefer for the purpose that known as sulphite of potash.
or potassa, but we do not confine ourselves to the use of this particular salt.

page_text: The manner in which we would generally prefer to apply or use the above
mentioned salts is this,-We prepare a solution of the salt to be used in water;
usually about the proportion of from three-quarters of an ounce to an ounce
thereof in one pint of water, and we add to this solution a quantity of mucilage
or of gum arabic, or other gum soluble in water sufficient to make the solution
of such strength that after the substance has been dipped into it and dried a
thin film will remain upon its surface, we then dip or immerse therein for a
longer or shorter period, according to its size and nature (usually from two to
ten minutes is sufficient for the purpose,) the substance to be preserved. We
sometimes use the solution without the addition of gum or mucilage, and
in some cases we use it either boiling or when heated to a high degree of
temperature.
Another method of treating the meat or other substance with these
solutions which we sometimes adopt is by placing it in a close vessel
and after exhausting the air therefrom we admit the solution and permit
it to run in and fill the vessel, we thus secure a more perfect impreg-.
nation of the surface of the substance to be acted upon. After -taking
the meat or other substance out of the solution we hang or place the
same in some convenient situation to drain and dry, and there keep it
until the surface is free from damp or moisture, and we then sometimes
dredge or dust the surface of the same with flour. The meat is thus fully
prepared for very long exposure to the atmosphere, but would of course at
Jast become dried up by the gradual evaporation of its moisture, in order to
prevent which a protection or coating may be employed by dipping it into
melted tallow, suet, wax, (either by itself or mixed with other substances to
give it tenacity) or gum, or gelatine, dissolved in water, the solution of gum
or gelatine being used either by itself or mixed with treacle or glycerine, or it
may be embedded in tallow, suet, gum, or gelatine, or it may be wrapped in
cloths, papers, or other coverings dipped or coated with tallow, wax, or any of
the above-named articles, or be placed in cases or casks and the vacant spacos:
be filled by pouring in such substances or mixtures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we hereby declare
that we claim the use of the chemical salts commonly known as sulphites and
nitrites, (and especially those of potassa and soda,) when used in manner
herein before described for the preserving of animal substances and of animal
and other substances used for food.
We claim also in conjunction with the use as before described of the said

page_text: salts the coating or covering as herein-before described of the meat or other
substances to be preserved.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alexander Hett and Frederick William
Basset, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fifth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
Witness,
GEORGE MARSHALL.
ALEXANDER HETT.
(L.S.)
FRED W. BASSET.
(L.B.)