www.dotcomhunter.com CIRCUMSTANCES IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF MEAT. During the period between the birth and maturity of animals, their fl esh undergoes very considerable changes. For instance, when the anima l is young, the fluids which the tissues of the muscles contain, poss ess a large proportion of what is called albumen . This albumen, whi ch is also the chief component of the white of eggs, possesses the pe culiarity of coagulating or hardening at a certain temperature, like the white of a boiled egg, into a soft, white fluid, no longer solubl e, or capable of being dissolved in water. As animals grow older, thi s peculiar animal matter gradually decreases, in proportion to the ot her constituents of the juice of the flesh. Thus, the reason why veal , lamb are white, and without gravy when cooked, is, that the large quantity of albumen they contain hardens, or becomes coagulated. On the other hand, the reason why beef and mutton are brown, and have g ravy , is, that the proportion of albumen they contain, is small, in comparison with their greater quantity of fluid which is soluble, and not coagulable. The quality of the flesh of an animal is considerably influenced by th e nature of the food on which it has been fed ; for the food supplies the material which produces the flesh. If the food be not suitable an d good, the meat cannot be good either. To the experienced in this mat ter, it is well known that the flesh of animals fed on farinaceous pro duce, such as corn, pulse, &c., is firm, well-flavoured, and also econ omical in the cooking; that the flesh of those fed on succulent and pu lpy substances, such as roots, possesses these qualities in a somewhat less degree; whilst the flesh of those whose food contains fixed oil, as linseed, is greasy, high coloured, and gross in the fat, and if th e food has been used in large quantities, possessed of a rank flavour. It is indispensable to the good quality of meat, that the animal shou ld be perfectly healthy at the time of its slaughter. However sligh t the disease in an animal may be, inferiority in the quality of its flesh, as food, is certain to be produced. In most cases, indeed, as the flesh of diseased animals has a tendency to very rapid putrefacti on, it becomes not only unwholesome, but absolutely poisonous, on acc ount of the absorption of the virus of the unsound meat into the sy stems of those who partake of it. The external indications of good an d bad meat will be described under its own particular head, but we ma y here premise that the layer of all wholesome meat, when freshly kil led, adheres firmly to the bone. Another circumstance greatly affecting the quality of meat, is the ani mal's treatment before it is slaughtered . This influences its value and wholesomeness in no inconsiderable degree. It will be easy to unde A gift from www.dotcomhunter.comwww.dotcomhunter.com rstand this, when we reflect on those leading principles by which the life of an animal is supported and maintained. These are, the digestio n of its food, and the assimilation of that food into its substance. N ature, in effecting this process, first reduces the food in the stomac h to a state of pulp, under the name of chyme, which passes into the i ntestines, and is there divided into two principles, each distinct fro m the other. One, a milk-white fluid, the nutritive portion, is absorb ed by innumerable vessels which open upon the mucous membrane, or inne r coat of the intestines. These vessels, or absorbents, discharge the fluid into a common duct, or road, along which it is conveyed to the l arge veins in the neighbourhood of the heart. Here it is mixed with th e venous blood (which is black and impure) returning from every part o f the body, and then it supplies the waste which is occasioned in the circulating stream by the arterial (or pure) blood having furnished ma tter for the substance of the animal. The blood of the animal having c ompleted its course through all parts, and having had its waste recrui ted by the digested food, is now received into the heart, and by the a ction of that organ it is urged through the lungs, there to receive it s purification from the air which the animal inhales. Again returning to the heart, it is forced through the arteries, and thence distribute d, by innumerable ramifications, called capillaries, bestowing to ever y part of the animal, life and nutriment. The other principle the innu tritive portion passes from the intestines, and is thus got rid of. It will now be readily understood how flesh is affected for bad, if an a nimal is slaughtered when the circulation of its blood has been increa sed by over-driving, ill-usage, or other causes of excitement, to such a degree of rapidity as to be too great for the capillaries to perform their functions , and causing the blood to be congealed in its minuter vessels. Where this has been the case, the meat will be dark-coloured, and become rap idly putrid; so that self-interest and humanity alike dictate kind and gentle treatment of all animals destined to serve as food for man. A gift from www.dotcomhunter.com