IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF MEAT
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Wothly, of Zoffingen, Switzerland, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF MEAT."
Sealed the 7th August 1855, and dated the 20th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Wothly at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th February
1855.
I, JEAN WOTHLY, of Zoffingen, Switzerland, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF MEAT" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar means of preserving meat, for which
purpose the meat is cut into convenient pieces, say, of ten to twelve pounds
weight each, and separated from the bones. These pieces are to have dusted
over them a mixture of sugar and salt, and are to be allowed to stand for
about two days, when they are to be subjected to pressure to force out all the
blood and serous matter, or in place of being pressed they may be moderately
cooked before packing. The pieces of meat are then to be packed in casks,
and in order to prepare the casks for such purpose they are first lined with
melted fat, which is allowed to set on the interior surfaces. Greased paper is
used to cover the pieces of meat, and they are packed in a cask, and have
melted fat run into the spaces or interstices, and when the fat is set the cask
is to be closed, and is to be inserted in another cask somewhat larger, so as

page_text: to leave a vacant space between the inner and outer casks, which space is to
be filled with sand or lime or melted fat, and then closed. When pork is
to be preserved, in place of using the melted fat in the interstices, they are to
be filled with brine combined with saltpetre and white sugar, boiled together
with the berries of the juniper tree, white pepper, and coriander seeds; and
such compound may be used in place of dry sugar and salt, as first mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean Wothly in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
WOTHLY, of Zoffingen, Switzerland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, 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 Jean Wothly, Her special licence that I, the said Jean Wothly, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Wothly,
my executors, administrators, 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 PRE-
SERVATION OF MEAT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jean Wothly, 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 saine 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 Jean Wothly, 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 of a peculiar means of preserving meat, for which
purpose the meat is cut into convenient pieces, say, of ten to twelve pounds
weight each, and separated from the bones. These pieces are to have dusted

page_text: over them a mixture of sugar and salt, and are to be allowed to stand for
about two days, when they are to be subjected to pressure to force out all the
blood and serous matter, or in place of being pressed they may be moderately
cooked before packing. The pieces of meat are then to be packed in casks,
and in order to prepare the casks for such purpose they are first lined with
melted fat, which is allowed to set on the interior surfaces. Greased paper is
used to cover the pieces of meat, and they are packed in a cask, and have
melted fat run into the spaces or interstices; and when the fat is set the cask
is to be closed, and is to be inserted in another cask somewhat larger, so as to
leave a vacant space between the inner and outer casks, which space is to be
filled with sand or lime or melted fat, and then closed.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe more in detail the manner
in which I prefer to operate.
The animal is slaughtered, and cut up as soon as possible afterwards, so that
the blood and serous matter contained by the meat may be expelled as perfectly
as possible. The meat is boned, and cut into pieces weighing 10 or 12 lbs. each.
These pieces are well pricked with a skewer of wood or steel, and are powdered
and rubbed with a mixture of white sugar and common salt well pulverized.
These ingredients are employed in the proportion of 1 lb. of sugar and lb. of
salt to 50 lbs. of meat. The meat, having been powdered and rubbed piece by
piece with this mixture, is placed in a large tub, where it ought to remain
ordinarily during 48 hours, but when the weather is very hot 24 hours will be
sufficient.
The pieces are then taken out of the tub, to be placed in a box or case, in which
they are to be pressed. The box or case is perforated, and lined interiorly with
mats, and over the mats clean cloths are laid. The meat is to be put into the
press piece by piece, and is laid in layers, and each layer is separated from
the layer above by a mat and cloths, and in this way the press is filled. The
meat is to be subjected to a heavy pressure to drive out as much of the blood
and serous matter as possible. The pieces of meat when taken out of the
press are wiped with care, and are then ready for packing.
This packing is best done in casks containing from one to three or four hun-
dredweight each. They should be strongly made, and have an opening through
the end for inserting the meat; they should be quite clean, and to insure this
they may be rinsed with boiling lime water. The cask is completely lined
with soft melted fat, which should be applied when it is on the point of setting,
and the pieces are then carefully enveloped in greased paper, and laid in the
cask so as to form a layer at the bottom, then melted fat is poured over so as

page_text: to fill every interstice; then another layer is formed in a similar manner, and
again melted fat is poured over, and so on until the cask is entirely filled,
and in these operations great care must be taken not to leave any void
space. When the cask is quite full it is allowed to stand until the fat is hard
before closing the opening in the head.
The first cask is now placed in a second cask, and the interior cask is
prevented from touching the sides of the exterior cask by small pieces of wood
attached to the interior of such exterior cask. In the space between the
two casks melted fat is run, or, if preferred, the space may be filled with lime
or sand, and when this is done the outer cask is headed, and the packing is
complete. When the meat is unpacked, the fat is separated from the meat
by dipping the pieces into hot water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Wothly, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
J. BASSET,
2, Rue Drouot.
JN WOTHLY,
50, Rue de Lille. (L.S.)