AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRESERVING FRESH MEATS, GAME, FISH, AND VEGETABLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Baron de Malortie, of 84, Jermyn Str.,
St. James', in the County of Middlesex, and John Edward
Tenison Woods, of 2, Hillsborough Villas, West Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, Chemical Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRESERVING FRESH MEATS, GAME, FISH,
AND VEGETABLES.”
Sealed the 13th June 1873, and dated the 16th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Baron de
Malortie and John Edward Tenison Woods at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 16th December
1872.
We, CHARLES Baron DE MALORTIE, of 84, Jermyn St., St. James',
in the County of Middlesex, and JOHN EDWARD TENISON WOODS, of
2, Hillsborough Villas, West Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRESERVING FRESH MEATS, GAME, FISH, AND
VEGETABLES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention for preserving fresh meats, game, fish, and vegetables

page_text: fresh in a weak solution of acetate of ammonia, which has the effect of
preventing putrefaction for a considerable period even when only super-
ficially applied. Acetate of ammonia is a substance known to the
alchemists as (spirit of menderus), and is extremely volatile, and is
entirely expelled by the heat in the operation of cooking, and does not
leave any taste behind, the articles after cooking having their original
flavours.
When it is only intended to preserve the articles for a comparatively
short time, it is sufficient to immerse them in the solution of acetate of
ammonia, and hang them up in a
a dry place; but when the articles are
intended to be preserved for many months or years they must be headed
up in casks, or tins, or other suitable vessels filled with a solution of
acetate of ammonia, either with or without the addition of a little
common salt, where they are allowed to remain until required for use.
In this our Invention we do not restrict ourselves to the use of a solution
of acetate of ammonia of any particular strength, but are guided in this
matter by the length of time the articles are intended to be preserved.
We also claim the use of acetate of potash in the preservation of fresh
meats, game, fish, and vegetables as our Invention, considering some-
times the use of this salt advantageous.
We also claim the use of acetate of soda in the preservation of fish,
either with or without the addition of common salt or hydrochloric acid.
In this case we pack the fish in a solution of acetates of ammonia, potash,
soda, or lime, sometimes with, and sometimes without common salt or
hydrochloric acid, where it remains until required for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Baron de Malortie and John Edward
Tenison Woods, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June
1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES 30
Baron DE MALORTIE, of 84, Jermyn Street, Saint James', in the County
of Middlesex, and JOHN EDWARD TENISON WOODS, of 2, Hillsborough
Villas, West Kensington Park, in the County of Middlesex, Chemical
Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Charles Baron de Malortie and John
Edward Tenison Woods, Her special licence that we, the said Charles
Baron de Malortie and John Edward Tenison Woods, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles
Baron de Malortie and John Edward Tenison Woods, 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, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR PRESERVING FRESH MEATS, GAME, FISH, AND VEGETABLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles
Baron de Malortie and John Edward Tenison Woods, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under. our, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 Charles Baron de Malortie and John
Edward Tension Woods, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
Our Invention consists of a new process for preserving fresh meats,
game, fish, and vegetables, and improvements in a process for removing
the sweetish taste from fresh meats and vegetables preserved by well
known processes. Fresh meats or vegetables preserved by immersion in
a solution of acetate of soda, a process well known, have after being
cooked a certain sweetish taste which is much objected to. Fresh
meats or vegetables so preserved by acetate of soda are by our process
partially or wholly deprived or this unpleasant taste. This is effected by
immersing the preserved articles, when required for use, in a dilute
solution of hydrochloric acid, which converts the small portion of acetate

page_text: of soda remaining in the meats or vegetables, and to which the taste is
duc, into common salt, and setting the acetic acid free.
We also claim the use of a strong solution of acetate of ammonia or
and
acetate of potash for preserving in a fresh state meats, game, fish,
vegetables. In carrying this process, the meat, game, fish, or vege- |
tables are placed in a cask, and the cask filled up with a solution of
acetate of ammonia or acetate of potash containing from one-tenth to one-
half of either salt in solution, according to the length of time the articles
are intended to be preserved.
When the meat, game, fish, or vegetables are required for use they
are washed, and can be immersed in a dilute solution of hydrochloric
acid, by which the taste is improved, as in the case of meat preserved by
acetate of soda, as above.
We also claim the us of acetate of soda, acetate of potash, acetate of
lime, and acetate of ammonia in the preservation of fresh fish. The
fish is to be preserved without cutting or cleaning, and as soon as possible
after being caught packed in tight casks, and then filled with a strong
solution of either acetate of soda, acetate of potash, acetate of lime, or
acetate of ammonia, or any two or more of these salts combined, and
then heading up the casks in the usual way. Fish so preserved will
remain fresh for a considerable period, and does not acquire any
unpleasant taste.
solution of acetate of soda for filling up the casks containing the mesm
fish.
Fresh fish can also under some circumstances be advantageously
preserved by strewing them over with dry acetates of lime, soda, or
potash.
In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Four-
teenth day of June 1873.