_Industrial Applications of Bones._--By the increasing inventiveness
of man, the industrial utilization of animal bone has been so
developed that not one of the constituents fails to reappear in
commerce. Composed of mineral matter--phosphates, &c.--fat and
gelatinous substances, the phosphates are used as artificial manures,
the fat is worked up by the soap-maker and chandler, and the
gelatinous matter forms the basis of the gelatin and glue of commerce;
while by the dry distillation of bones from which the gelatin has been
but partially removed, there are obtained a carbonaceous
residue--animal charcoal--and a tarry distillate, from which "bone
oil" and bone pitch are obtained. To these by-products there must be
added the direct uses of bone--for making buttons, knife-handles,
&c.--when an estimate is desired of the commercial importance of these
components of the animal frame.
While most of the world's supply of bones goes to the glue and gelatin
works, the leg and thigh bones, termed "marrows" and "knuckles," are
used for the manufacture of bone articles. The treatment which they
receive is very different from that practised in the glue-works. The
ends are removed by a saw, and the bones are steeped in a 1% brine
solution for three to four days, in order to separate the fibrous
matter. The bones are now heated with water, and allowed to simmer for
about six hours. This removes a part of the fat and gelatinous matter;
the former rises as a scum, the latter passes into solution, and the
bones remain sufficiently firm to be worked up by the lathe, &c. The
fat is skimmed off, and, after bleaching, reappears as a component of
fine soaps, or, if unbleached, the oil is expressed and is used as an
adulterant of other oils, while the stearine or solid matter goes to
the candle-maker; the gelatinous water is used (after filtration) for
making size for cardboard boxes; while the bones are scrubbed, dried,
and then transferred to the bone-worker.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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