IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francois Alphonse Theroulde, of 15, Place Vendome,
Paris, Shipowner,' for the Juvention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING
ANIMAL SUBSTANCES."- A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francois Alphonse
Theroulde at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th May 1855.
I, FRANCOIS ALPHONSE THEROULDE, of 15, Place Vendome, Paris, Ship-
owner, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANOES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in preserving animal matters by treating them
with the following substances :-
Chloride of aluminium.
Chloride of tin.
Persulphate of zinc.
The persalts of iron, manganese, antimony, tin.
These substances may be employed singly or mixed together; also
chlorides of soda, potash, and ammonium with the sulphates of iron, man-
ganese, zinc, and antimony.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francois Alphonse Theroulde in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCOIS
ALPHONSE THEROULDE, of 15, Place Vendome, Paris, Shipowner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Francois Alphonse Theroulde, Iler special licence that I, the said Francois
Alphonse Theroulde, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Francois Alphonse Theroulde, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING ANIMAL SUBSTANCES," (a cominuni-
cation) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francois Alphonse
Theroulde, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Francois Alphonse Theroulde, 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 (that is to say)
This Invention consists in preserving animal matters by treating them
with the following substances:—
Chloride of aluminium.
Chloride of tin.

page_text: iron, manganese, zinc, or antimony. The proportion in which I prefer to
mix these substances is, seventy-five parts of the alkaline chloride to one
hundred parts of the metallic sulphate.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the manner in which
I prefer to operate.
For example, to preserve hides or skins, I soak them when in a green
state in a solution, marking 4 to 6° of Beaumé, of any of the substances or
mixtures above named, preferring to use in this case the mixture of chloride
of sodium and sulphate of zinc. The skin or hide is allowed to soak for
from six to twenty-four hours, according to its thickness. It should be
turned over two or three times during this period and care should be taken
that it lie completely covered by the liquor. When removed from the liquor,
it should be rinced in water and hung up to dry in the air, and when nearly
dry it may be folded up and packed. If it be convenient to dry the skin
completely after washing and pack it dry, then it need not be soaked for so
long a time as that above mentioned in the liquor. To preserve a hide or
skin already dried, I brush it over on both sides with a stronger liquor,
marking, say, 7 or 8? of Beaumé. I would remark that these processes in no
way interfere with the tauning of the skin or hide. Furs, animal fibres, and
other substances of a like nature may be preserved in a similar manner to
that recommended for hides and skins.
To preserve animal fats, I first divide the fat into small pieces, say, about
the size of a bean, and I soak the pieces in a liquor which marks 6 to 8º
Beaumé. Any of the substances or mixtures first mentioned may be used
to make this liquor. When the fat has been from twenty-four to forty-eight
hours in the liquor, it is taken out and washed with water, after which it is
dried in the air, and may then be pressed into casks. I would remark that
for the purposes of making soap and candles the fats are considerably
improved by this process.
To preserve animal oils, I stir them during twenty-four hours with a liquor
similar to that used for preserving fats, and for this purpose I prefer to
employ the liquor at a boiling temperature.
To preserve fish, flesh, and animal fœces for manure and other purposes,
I cause the matters to be divided into small pieces, and I soak them in
a liquor marking about 6° Beaumé. The liquor which in this case I prefer
to employ is a solution of the perchloride of iron, which is best used hot ;
and when preserving fish or flesh, I cause a current of steam to pass through
the liquor, which separates the oils and brings them to the surface from

page_text: which they are skimmed. When the solid matters are removed from the
liquor they are pressed as nearly dry as possible, and are finally dried in
the air before packing.
To preserve blood, it should be plunged, when coagulated, into a liquor
marking 4 to 6° Beaumé. After about twenty-four hours the clear liquor
should be decanted off, and the precipitate removed and dried. It may
afterwards be pulverized, if desired.
To preserve bones of animals and fish, I prefer to employ a solution, marking
6° of Beaumé, of perchloride of iron, at a temperature of 120 to 140° Fahren-
heit. The bones should be left in this liquor for about twenty-four hours,
and afterwards be removed and dried.
I would remark that although I have indicated the nature of the liquor
which I prefer in cach case to employ, still a solution of any other of the
substances or mixtures first named may be used in place thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Alphonse Theroulde, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
THEROULDE. (L.S.)