There were several ways to process tiger bone: with sand, vinegar, or alcohol. Li Long was rather surprised after reading the notes.
He had always thought processing tiger bone meant scraping off the remaining flesh, washing it clean, and perhaps roasting it a little.
He had not expected the process to actually scorch the bone until it was brittle, practically destroying its structure.
Was this how they made its medicinal properties easier to release?
Would rotten tiger bone have medicinal properties too?
Of course, that last thought was a joke.
That afternoon, Li Long finished roasting the remaining deer fetus, put it into a cloth bag, and broke it up. Then he washed the stone garlic mortar, wiped it dry, and ground the pieces into powder.
It was all right. The scorched smell masked the odor, so it was not too unpleasant. Presumably, it would not be too hard to swallow either.
He did not have the empty capsules available in later years. Otherwise, he could have obtained some and filled them with the powder, making it easier to take.
For now, it could only be swallowed with warm water. He would see that evening whether his wife could take it.
He found a wide-mouthed canning jar, washed and dried it, and poured the powder inside. After putting on the lid and placing it in the bedroom, he turned to the tiger bone.
After reading through the instructions, he realized that processing tiger bone was not something he could finish quickly.
It was quite a troublesome business.
He would get the preliminary work done first, then.
Tiger bone had to be broken up before processing, which was generally done just before use. Before breaking it up, however, every scrap of flesh had to be scraped off, and the bone washed