IMPROVEMENTS IN KILLING ANI- MALS INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD, AND PRESERVING THE FLESH OF SUCH ANIMALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Jones, of Berkeley, in the County of Gloucester;
Medical Practitioner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILLING ANI-
MALS INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD, AND PRESERVING THE FLESH OF SUCH
ANIMALS."
Sealed the 18th October 1878, and dated the 25th April 1878
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Jones at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1878.
RICHARD JONES, of Berkeley, in the County of Gloucester, Medical Practitioner.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KILLING ANIMALS INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD, AND PRE-
SERVING THE FLESH OF SUCH ANIMALS."
My Invention consists essentially in taking advantage of the pulsating or circu-
lating action of the heart of an animal after it has been rendered insensible to pain
by a blow on the forehead or otherwise, to equally distribute the preservative
substances through the system of the animal, and thus prevent the decay of the
flesh intended for food.
The advantage likely to result from my improvement is the facility of preserving
meat during hot weather, and the obtaining of large supplies of good butchers'
meat at a great reduction in price, America, Australia, and other distant countries
being rendered available sources of supply.
In carrying my Invention into practice, I proceed in manner following:-The
animal is first stunned by a blow on the head with a poleaxe or otherwise; the
jugular vein, or other principal blood vessel, is then compressed at some convenient
spot, whereby the same becomes distended, and a trocar with a canula or an
aspirator needle is thrust into, but not through, the said vein or blood vessel at a
point further from the heart than the point of compression, and in the direction of
the heart; and if the trocar and canula be used the trocar is withdrawn, so as to
leave the canula in the vein, and the blood of the animal then flows out through
the canula or aspirator needle to any desired extent. The preserving sub-
stance in a fluid form maintained at or about blood heat is contained in a vessel
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page_text: conveniently placed above the level of the animal, and provided with a stop-cock,
to which is attached or secured a flexible tube fitted with an end piece of metal,
or other hard substance, which must be made to fit into the canula or aspirator
needle above mentioned.
When all is ready for the operation the stop-cock from the vessel is opened, and 5
the preserving liquid is allowed to flow gently through the flexible tube until all
the air is expelled, and the end piece of the tube is then thrust into the canula or
aspirator needle whilst full of blood, flowing through the animal, so that no air may
be in the tube or canula, and the pressure on the vein is then removed, and a
stream of the fluid is forced by its own weight slowly into the vein; the height of
the vessel containing the preserving fluid above the animal or the pressure being
varied according to circumstances.
When the requisite quantity of the fluid has passed into the vein and a period of
five to ten minutes, according to the size of the animal, has been allowed to pass,
so that the preservative may be distributed throughout the whole body, a bubble
of air is forced through the same flexible tube or canula into the vein or blood
vessel, whence it passes to the heart of the animal, and life immediately ceases.
After a few minutes have elapsed the large vessels of the neck are divided in
the manner usually adopted by butchers, and the blood is allowed to escape.
The air to cause death may be contained in a small india-rubber ball attached to
the flexible tube or canula or aspirator needle, or it may be injected by other means
in any convenient manner.
The preserving fluid I use is made by dissolving in distilled or rain water at a
high temperature, either boracic acid or salicylic acid, or a mixture of the two, in
the proportions of about six drams of boracic acid if used by itself, or five drams
of boracic acid with one of salicylic acid and eight ounces of water, and the: tem-
perature must be gradually allowed to fall to, but not below, blood heat. The
solution should be agitated during the operation to prevent deposit of crystals.
Two fluid drams of this solution contain about eleven grains of the acid, and
will be rather more than sufficient to preserve one pound weight of an animal, or
a sheep weighing seventy-two pounds would require as a maximum sixteen ounces
of the solution to be injected to secure effectual preservation.
If the animal has been fasting for twenty-four hours I make no allowance
'whatever for the contents of the intestines, but make my calculation of the quantity
of acid required by taking the gross weight of the animal.
Butchers, immediately after an animal has been slaughtered and skinned, wash
the surface with warm water. I prefer that water for that purpose should have
been previously boiled, and a small quantity of the above solution added to the
water.
In order to prevent the growth of mould or fungi, when the preserved flesh is to
be kept a long time, it would be desirable to protect the surface; and for this
purpose I melt vaseline or cosmoline, and with a soft brush paint over the surface
of the carcase, and thus lessen the evaporation of moisture, and protect the surface
from atmospheric influence; or the carcase may be dipped into melted vaseline or
cosmoline, and the excess allowed to drain off.
The leading features of novelty under my Invention are,-
(1.) Killing animals in the manner, by the means and agents, in the order herein-
before described.
(2.) Employing boracic and salicylic acids, or either of them, in the killing
of animals for the purpose of preserving the edible portions, as set forth.
And (3.) Using boracic and salicylic acids, or either of them, for coating the
edible portions of animals killed under my said Invention.
;

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1878.
RICHARD JONES, of Berkeley, in the County of Gloucester, Medical Practitioner.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KILLING ANIMALS INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD, AND PRE-
SERVING THE FLESH OF SUCH ANIMALS."
My Invention consists essentially in taking advantage of the pulsating or circu-
lating action of the heart of an animal after it has been rendered insensible to pain
by a blow on the forehead or otherwise, to equally distribute preservative sub-
stances through the system of the animal, and thus prevent decay of the flesh
intended for food.
The advantage likely to result from my improvement is the facility of preserving
meat during hot weather, and the obtaining of large supplies of good butchers'
meat at a great reduction in price, America, Australia, and other distant countries
being rendered available sources of supply.
In carrying my Invention into practice I proceed in manner following:-The
animal is first stunned by a blow on the head with a polaxe or otherwise; the
jugular vein or other principal blood vessel is then compressed at some convenient
spot, whereby the same becomes distended, and a trocar with a canula or an
aspirator needle is thrust into, but not through, the said vein or blood vessel at a
point further from the heart than the point of compression, and in the direction of
the heart; and if the trocar and canula be used the trocar is withdrawn, so as to
leave the canula in the vein, and the blood of the animal then flows out through
the canula or aspirator or needle to any desired extent. The preserving substance
in a fluid form, maintained at or about blood heat, is contained in a vessel con-
veniently placed above the level of the animal, and provided with a stop-cock, to
which is attached or secured a flexible tube fitted with an end piece of metal, or
other hard substance, which must be made to fit into the canula or aspirator needle
above mentioned.
When all is ready for the operation the stop-cock from the vessel is opened, and
the preserving liquid is allowed to flow gently through the flexible tube until all
the air is expelled, and the end piece of the tube is then thrust into the canula or
aspirator needle whilst full of blood, flowing through the animal, so that no air may
be in the tube or canula, and the pressure on the vein is then removed, and a
stream of the fluid is forced by its own weight slowly into the vein; the height of
the vessel containing the preserving fluid above the animal or the pressure being
varied according to circumstances.
When the requisite quantity of the fluid has passed into the vein and a period
of five to ten minutes, according to the size of the animal, has been allowed to pass,
so that the preservative may be distributed throughout the whole body, a bubble
of air is forced through the same flexible tnbe or canula into the vein or blood
vessel, whence it passes to the heart of the animal, and life immediately ceases.
After a few minutes have elapsed the large vessels of the neck are divided in the
manner usually adopted by butchers, and the blood is allowed to escape.
The air to cause death may be contained in a small india-rubber ball attached
to the flexible tube or canula or as aspirator needle, or it may be injected by other
means in any convenient manner.
The preserving fluid I use is made by dissolving in distilled or rain water at a
high temperature, either boracic acid or salicylic acid, or a mixture of the two, in
the proportions of about six drams of boracic acid if used by itself, or five drams

page_text: of boracic acid with one of salicylic acid and eight ounces of water, and the tem-
perature must be gradually allowed to fall to, but not below, blood heat; the
solution should be agitated during the operation to prevent deposit of crystals.
The dram here referred to consists of sixty grains.
Two fluid draps of this solution contain about eleven grains of the acid, and
will be rather more than sufficient to preserve one pound weight of an animal, or a
sheep weighing seventy-two pounds would require as a maximum sixteen ounces
of the solution to be injected to secure effectual preservation.
If the animal has been fasting for twenty-four hours I make no allowance what-
ever for the contents of the intestines, but make my calculation of the quantity of
the acid required by taking the gross weight of the animal.
Butchers, immediately after an animal has been slaughtered and skinned, wash
the surface with warm water. prefer that water for that purpose should have
been previously boiled, and a small quantity of the above solution added to the
water.
In order to prevent the growth of mould or fungi, when the preserved flesh is to
be kept a long time, it would be desirable to protect the surface; and for this pur-
pose I melt vaseline or cosmoline, and with a soft brush paint over the surface of
the carcase, and thus lessen the evaporation of moisture, and protect the surface
from atmospheric influence; or the carcase may be dipped into melted vaseline or
cosmoline, and the excess allowed to drain off.
It will be evident that modifications of my Invention may be made without
departing from the leading features, as, for instance, instead of rendering an animal
insensible to pain by a blow, blood may first be abstracted in the usual way by
opening a vein on the opposite side of the neck to that in which the fluid is
introduced.
Again, the quantity of water added to the antiseptic may be more or less, according
to circumstances.
Where the object is to effect the preservation of animals to be brought from
distant countries the quantity of the antiseptic may vary from ten to thirty grains
to the pound of the animal; and in cases where it is desirable to import or export
whole carcases of animals from or to distant countries, in order to the more effec-
tually protecting the surface of the animal, it is desirable to allow the skin to
remain on the carcase; and, an opening being made into the cavity of the abdomen,
the whole of the intestines can be removed from the throat to the anus, and, the
surface being well washed out, the surfaces of the opening can be brought together,
either by sewing or in any other convenient way (the rectum being tied and also
the esophagus if requisite), except a small opening through which gelatine made
from the refuse portions of the animal, and during its manufacture charged with
boracic acid, or boracic acid combined with salicylic acid, thus putting it into a
preservent state, can be introduced into the animal in a fluid state, but which on
cooling down becomes solid to any degree required, so as not to be rendered fluid
in any temperature.
Further, the injection of the solution can take place without the abstraction of
blood, and when injected the animal may be killed in the ordinary way adopted
by butchers; but in this practice care should be taken to add to the solution an
additional quantity of the antiseptic, so as to make up for its loss by the escape of
blood.
Having now described and particularized my Invention, so that others will be
enabled to practice the same, I claim,-
1. Killing animals in the manner, by the means and agents, in the order herein-
before described.
2. Employing boracic and salicylic acids, or either of them, in the killing of
animals for the purpose of preserving the edible portions, as set forth.

page_text: 3. Using boracic and salicylic acid, or either of them, for coating the edible
portions of animals killed under my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Jones, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
DICHD TONES Gol
RICH. JONES. (L.S.)