IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRESERVING MEAT AND FISH
Year: 1870

page_text: 65
LETTERS PATENT to Louis Mariotti, of Sursée, in the Canton of
Lucerne, Switzerland, Merchant, for the Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRESERVING MEAT AND FISH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Mariotti at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th December 1870.
I, LOUIS MARIOTTI, of Sursée, in the Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRESERVING MEAT AND FISH,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the use of glue (purified as required) in
order to form a coating over the meat or fish intended to be preserved,
and over this a covering of salt, the salt and glue being afterwards
removed from the substances so treated. The glue may be purified
and rendered savoury, but it should be sufficiently hard to resist the
passage of any fluid even when used as a thin coating. The meat or
fish is cut into suitable pieces, which are slowly passed through the glue
in a boiling state, then hung up to dry by means of strings in such a
manner as not to touch or rub against each other, and in a dry and airy
situation. When the glue is dry the said pieces of meat or fish are
taken by means of the strings without touching them, and are placed

page_text: separately over the whole surface of the bottom of a case in which is
contained rough cloth, sawdust, or other material capable of absorbing
the moisture of the salt. The said pieces of meat or fish are placed
near each other and the interstices are filled in with salt, then a layer
or covering of salt is spread over the meat or fish, on which salt another
layer or stratum of meat or fish is arranged in a similar manner and
similarly covered with salt; and this alternate arrangement of meat or
fish and salt is continued till the case is filled. The meat or fish before
it is cooked is scraped and cleared from the glue (which is picked out of
the hollow parts by means of a knife or other pointed instrument) and
slightly washed. The salt does not enter the meat or fish so as to salt
it, but is only employed to preserve it by its freshness. The cases are
not always required to be hermetically sealed, and the meat or fish may
be preserved without such scaling for a period of from fifty to seventy
days or more. The cases containing meat or fish so protected and
preserved may be hermetically sealed or not as required according to
climate and other circumstances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Mariotti in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
MARIOTTI, of Sursée, in the Canton of Switzerland, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Louis Mariotti, Her special licence that
I, the said Louis Mariotti, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Louis Mariotti, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OR PROCESS OF PRESERVING MEAT AND FISH," upon the condition (amongst

page_text: others) that 1, the said Louis Mariotti, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said Louis Mariotti, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Method or Process of Pre-
serving Meat and Fish" consists in the use of glue (purified as required),
or butter, or fat, or gum, in order to form a coating over the meat or
fish intended to be preserved, and in surrounding the meat or fish so
coated with a covering of drying salt in a suitable case, the salt and glue,
or butter, or fat, or gum being removed from the meat or fish before it
is cooked for food, and according to climate, in the simple surrounding
of the meat or fish with a thick covering of rock salt or of common yet
very drying salt in a suitable case without glue or butter, or fat or
gum. The glue may be purified and rendered savoury as if to adapt it
for eating, but it should be pretty thick to prevent its penetration to the
meat or fish. The meat or fish (with or without fat and bones, and, if
possible, without holes) is cut into pieces of from three inches or more
thick, and of suitable length and breadth, which pieces are slowly (about
a minute) passed through the glue, or butter, or fat, in a boiling state,
and then hung up to dry by means of strings in such a manner as not
to touch or rub against each other, and in a dry and airy situation.
When the glue, or butter, or fat, or gum is dry the said pieces of meat
or fish are taken by the strings (without touching the said pieces), and
are placed separately in a case in which is contained rough cloth, saw-
dust, or other material capable of absorbing the moisture of the salt, so
that each piece of meat or fish is separated from another, and surrounded
by salt of about one inch. By the said process and arrangement the
several pieces of meat or fish are each covered with a coating of glue, or
butter, or fat, or gum in a dry or hard condition, and surrounded by or
enclosed in salt. The meat or fish after having been preserved in the
manner described is taken out of the case, and prepared for cooking and
use for food by scraping and clearing it from the glue, or butter, or fat,

page_text: or gum (which is picked out of the hollow parts by means of a knife
or other pointed instrument) and slightly washed. The cases are not
always required to be hermetically sealed, and the meat or fish may be
preserved without such sealing for a period of from fifty to seventy days
The cases containing meat or fish so protected and pre-
served may be hermetically sealed or not as required according to climate
and other circumstances.
or more.
It is also to be observed that the glue, or butter, or fat, or gum
remaining in any vessel or vessels after the immersion of the meat or
fish therein, and also the salt and cases may be used a long while for a
fresh quantity of meat or fish.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode
or manner of carrying the same into effect, I hereby declare that I do
not claim as my Invention the use of glue, or butter, or fat, without
the use also of salt; but what I do claim as my Invention is, the process
herein-before described of preserving meat or fish by the use of glue, or
butter, or fat, or gum, or salt, in such a manner as to cover the several
pieces of meat or fish with glue, or butter, or fat, or gum, and surround
or enclose each of such pieces with or in salt in the manner described,
and the simple surrounding of such pieces of meat and fish with a thick
covering of rock salt or of very drying salt in a suitable case without
glue or butter, or fat, or gum.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Mariotti, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Quiona
ANN
MARIAYUM
20
Sursee, Canton Lucerne, Suisse,
Merchant.
Statthalter
des Amts
Sursee, Canton
Lazern.
LOUIS MAPILI (L.S.)
Subscriptionis supra nominati Ludo vici
Mariotti ejusque sigilli appositi
authenticitatem Attestor :
Præfecturæ Secretar. Subt,
IMBACH.
Sursée, 3 Junj. 1871.