IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMPAIGN, RATION, AND LUNCH BISCUIT
Year: 1877

page_text: .i
LETTERS PATENT to Campbell Morfit, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,
in the United States of America, but at present of 23, Southampton Buildings,.
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Chemist, for the Invention. of:
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMPAIGN, RATION, AND LUNCH
BISCUIT."
Sealed the 31st July 1877, and dated the 22nd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Campbell Morfit at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1877.
CAMPBELL MORFIT, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, in the United States
of America, but at present of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middle-
sex, Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMPAIGN,
RATION, AND LUNCH BISCUIT."
This biscuit has the great advantage of being a complete food in itself, as it
contains in varied and proximate forms, and proper adjustment, all the elements of
a healthful nutrition of the human body. Moreover, it keeps well regardless of
climatic influences, has an agreeable flavour, and being condensed and always ready
for immediate use is at once economical, convenient, and appetizing.
I carry my Invention into effect in the following manner:-
Firstly. I take a hard baked biscuit made of either the bolted or unbolted farina
of wheat, rye, indian corn, or other edible grain, by simply converting it into a
dough with water, kneading thoroughly, and baking after the manner in which
ship biscuit or bread is made, and grind this biscuit wholly to a powder which will
pass a sieve of about 30 to 45 meshes to the running inch. The biscuits made of
unbolted meal require finer grinding and sifting for subsequent operations than
those of bolted flour.
Secondly. The biscuit meal as above prepared is next placed with about one-third
of its weight of good sound cheese in a suitable machine for crushing and mixing at
the same time. When the whole has become a fine homogeneous mass by the action

page_text: of this machine it forms the substance material of my improved campaign ration,
and may be at once pressed into biscuit form and dried for market, but I prefer to
improve its keeping property and add to its nutritive capacity by a further treat-
ment as follows:-
Thirdly. I prepare a protecting stock by dissolving about five pounds of refined
animal gelatine and two and a half pounds of Liebig's or similar extract of flesh
meat in about ten imperial gallons of water, and pouring out the hot fluid to cool
set as a jelly in suitable pans.
Fourthly. I put about ninety pounds of this protecting jelly together with about
one hundred and twenty pounds of the cheese and biscuit meal mixture of the
second operation into the crushing and mixing machine as aforesaid, and triturate
it until the whole is blended thoroughly into a perfectly homogeneous mass.
Fifthly. This mass is next pressed by suitable machinery into biscuit forms, and
finally the biscuits thus moulded are dried to a constant weight in an airy apart-
ment, ranging from about 90° to 100° Fahrenheit, but not higher, otherwise there
will be a risk of impairing the rich flavour of the product by an over heating of its
butter constituent. Like all biscuits which contain fat these require to be packed
and kept in closely covered boxes to preserve their crispness.
In this biscuit the farinaceous meals supply gluten, starch, cellulose, and eartlıy
phosphates; the cheese contributes caseine and butter, while gelatine in binding
the structure of the compound adds its own valuable alimentary capacity; and the
extract of neat supplements the whole with alkaline phosphates, saline nutrients,
and creatine and creatinin; the very essential stimulating ingredients peculiar to
meat.