IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLAUGHTERING OF ANIMALS WITH A VIEW TO THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR BODIES AS ARTICLES OF FOOD, AND IN THE METHOD OF PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gamgee, of 28, Queen's Road, Bayswater, in the
County of Middlesex, Veterinary Surgeon, and Arthur Gamgee, of 27, Alva
Street, in the City of Edinburgh, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLAUGHTERING OF ANIMALS WITH A VIEW TO THE
PRESERVATION OF THEIR BODIES AS ARTICLES OF FOOD, AND IN THE METHOD
OF PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 22nd March 1867, and dated the 24th September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gamgee and Arthur
Gamgee at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 24th September 1866.
We, JOHN GAMGEE, of 28, Queen's Road, Bayswater, in the County of
Middlesex, Veterinary Surgeon, and ARTHUR GAMGEE, of 27, Alva Street, in
the City of Edinburgh, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLAUGHTERING OF ANIMALS WITH A
VIEW TO THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR BODIES AS ARTICLES OF FOOD, AND IN THE
METHOD OF PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates in the first place to a new method of slaughtering
animals that are destined for human food with a view to the preservation of
their bodies for future use as such food, and also to a new method of preserving
animal and vegetable substances from decay.

page_text: With regard to the slaughtering of animals we propose to make them
inhale carbonic oxide gas or to introduce the same gas into the blood vessels,
or otherwise to cause that gas to act on the blood and flesh of living
animals intended to be killed with the aim of obtaining the specific action
of the gas on the system of animals so slaughtered. We also propose to
inclose animals which have been killed by the means aforesaid, or in any
other way, either whole or divided into parts of convenient size in wooden,
iron, or other receptacles, which admit of being perfectly closed and which
are furnished with tubes for the expulsion and introduction of airs and gases.
The air inside such receptacles is to be removed by an air pump or any other
suitable apparatus, and then a stream of pure carbonic oxide gas is poured
into the vacuum so formed, fish, vegetables, and other edible substances liable
to decay or putrefy may be preserved by similar means. In some cases we
propose to employ deodorizing and antiseptic agents, such as carbolic acid,
creyslic acid, and sulphurous acid gas in addition to pure carbonic oxide, for
the purpose of preventing or arresting the putrefaction of animal and vegetable
substances
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gamgee and Arthur Gamgee in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN)
GAMGEE, of 28, Queen's Road, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
Veterinary Surgeon, and ARTHUR GAMGEE, of 27, Alva Street, in the City of
Edinburgh, Doctor of Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Gamgee and Arthur Gamgee, Her special license that we,
the said John Gamgee and Arthur Gamgee, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Gamgee and Arthur Gamgee,
our executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLAUGHTERING
OF ANIMALS WITH A VIEW TO THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR BODIES AS ARTICLES OF

page_text: FOOD, AND IN THE METHOD OF PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Gamgee and Arthur
Gamgee, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Gamgee and Arthur Gamgec,
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 statement, that is to say:
Our said Invention relates to a new and improved mode of slaughtering
animals that are destined for human food with a view to the preservation of
their bodies for future use as such food, and also to a new method of preserving
animal and vegetable substances from decay. The animals whose flesh is to
be preserved are, when this is possible, killed by causing them to inhale carbonic
oxide gas, which may be generated by the action of heat on a mixture of sul-
phuric and oxalic acids, or of sulphuric acid and ferrocyanide of potassium, or
by any other method which yields carbonic oxide gas. The animals are then
bled and dressed in the usual way, and the flesh may then be sold as human
food, and even if it has travelled any distance it will retain a fresh and bright
appearance longer than ordinary killed meat. The flesh of animals slaughtered
with the aid of carbonic oxide gas or of animals slaughtered in the usual way
may further be preserved as follows:-
Firstly. By being placed in a closed chamber, or vessel containing
carbonic oxide gas alone, or a mixture of carbonic oxide and air or other
gas or vapour for a period varying from two to twenty-four hours with a
view to a complete action on the meat and its juices.
Secondly. By simple fumigation of the entire carcase or portions of the
carcase after the action of carbonic oxide by means of sulphurous acid gas
alone or in combination with hydrochloric acid gas.
Thirdly. The flesh to be preserved may be placed in an air-tight vessel
of iron, tin, or other material, and provided with two tubes, whereby the
atmospheric air may be withdrawn by means of an air pump or other sufficient
means for securing a vacuum. Having thus exhausted the vessel we allow purc
carbonic oxide to flow into the vessel, and then add sulphurous acid gas in the
proportion of about 20 to 30 cubic inches to each pound of meat to be
preserved. Having thus secured that nothing but carbonic oxide and sulphurous

page_text: acid Igases surround the meat, the vessel is hermetically closed by squeezing and
soldering the tubes above mentioned.
Having now described our Invention, we wish it to be understood that
we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of the various operations,
nor to the proportions herein laid down, as the same may be altered without
departing from the principle of our Invention; but what we claim and wish
to be protected is,-
Firstly. The use of carbonic oxide in the process of preserving animals whose
flesh is to be used as human food, whether by causing animals to inhale
carbonic oxide gas as they die, or by placing the meat in chambers or vessels
containing carbonic oxide alone or in conjunction with other gases or vapours.
Secondly. The use of carbonic oxide in combination with antiseptic
agents, for the purpose of preserving animal and vegetable substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gamgee, on behalf of myself and
the said Arthur Gamgee, have to this our Specification set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.