1 PATENTS ACT 1990 Section 29 Innovation Patent 5 Applicant: John Anthony Arie Kreuger 5 Romsey Court Alice River Queensland 4817 Australia 10 Inventor: John Anthony Arie Kreuger 5 Romsey Court Alice River Queensland 4817 Australia 15 Title of Invention: METHOD AND TREATMENT FOR PROCESSING ANIMAL PARTS AND PRODUCT THEREOF 20 The applicant applies for the grant of a patent for the invention described in the accompanying complete patent specification: The following is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing the invention, known to us: specPA2025215 2 METHOD AND TREATMENT FOR PROCESSING ANIMAL PARTS AND PRODUCT THEREOF The present invention relates to a method and treatment for processing animal parts and product thereof, and in particular to a method and treatment 5 for producing novelty souvenirs or gift items. The tourist industry is a growth industry, and when people travel, part of the experience is to buy souvenirs and gifts. The souvenirs and gifts that are bought are often novelty items that remind the tourist of the fun time they had in a particular country, or to share with friends and family. When a tourist io returns home after a holiday or business trip they can share their experiences and show people the items bought while away from home. In Australia the kangaroo is an iconic animal, and part of most tourists visit to Australia is to see a kangaroo, either in the wild or in an animal park. An amusing souvenir or gift, developed by the inventor is a bottle opener or key 15 ring from kangaroo scrotum. In life, the male kangaroo when seen in the wild or in an animal park has rather noticeable scrotum, and genitalia generally, which amuses tourists. Animal products must be treated before they can be used as a product for sale. Leather tanning methods are well known to preserve cowhide and other 20 similar skins. These methods are unsuitable for the delicate scrotum tissue, and do not produce a useable material. The scrota need to be handled carefully to maintain the integrity of the sac but treated so as to be a well preserved strong material, usable as a souvenir part. The product made by the method and treatment of the invention has been 25 developed by the inventor to provide a souvenir or gift which is amusing and practical. The inventor, has developed, through long research and experimentation, a method of treating and preserving kangaroo scrota to produce a product that still resembles the natural product but has been specPA2025215 3 treated so as to be preserved. There are a great many difficulties in handling this kind of material, including the need to remove the tissue from within the sac, while maintaining integrity. Other difficulties including treating the scrotum, to prevent decomposition in such a way so that the material is 5 strong, and resistant to damage. The use may be through use as a souvenir top to a bottle opener, or key ring, for example or other saleable product. The following describes a non-limiting example of the invention being used with reference to kangaroo scrota throughout. Use of kangaroo scrota is particularly useful, since it is a by-product of the kangaroo meat industry io which can be utilised in this way to make a saleable product. However, the method and treatment can also be used on other parts of the kangaroo, as mentioned below, including the sock region. Further, clearly the scrota of other animals can also be treated in this way to varying success. It is not intended that the invention be limited to kangaroo scrota, or kangaroo parts, 15 the invention is applicable to all parts of animals that may be treated for use to create a product. For clarity, any prior art referred to herein, does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge, in Australia or elsewhere. 20 It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and treatment for animal parts, and product thereof that at least ameliorates one or more of the aforementioned problems of the prior art. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and treatment of animal parts, the animal parts having an outer surface and an inner surface, 25 the method including the following steps: a) removal of any fleshy tissues from inside the animal parts; b) cleaning the inner surface of remaining fleshy tissues; c) submerging the animal parts into the preservation treatment for a defined time period; specPA2025215 4 d) removing the animal parts from the preservation treatment, and draining of any remaining treatment; e) shaping the animal part into a desired shape; and f) preserving the shape of the animal part by application of a product 5 inside the animal part to hold in shape, wherein the animal part can then be used to produce a saleable product. The animal parts may be any suitable animal parts. Preferably, the animal parts are readily available. Preferably, the animal parts are from a kangaroo. The animal parts may be the scrotum of a kangaroo, for use to create a io product that substantially appears as a natural kangaroo scrotum. Other parts of the kangaroo may similarly be used. The ankle region of the kangaroo skin may be used to create a "sock" which can be used to create a product. The product may substantially resemble a kangaroo scrotum. The animal parts may have an outer surface that is preferably as in nature, that 15 is with fur or hair. The animal part, preferably, have an inner surface, the inner surface of the skin and an outer surface the outer surface of the skin. Preferably, a further step is included in the method to remove the significant tissues from the animal parts before step a). Where the animal parts are scrotum the testicles may be removed before step a). Where the animal part 20 is ankle or sock of a kangaroo, muscle and tendon material may be removed before step a). Preferably, the removal is the complete removal of the tissues other than the skin and outer and inner surface. The removal may include of muscle, nerve, blood vessels, fatty or other tissues. The removal may be of any tissues, that 25 is anything other than the skin itself to clean it for preserving. The fleshy tissues may refer to any form of material inside the animal part to be cleaned. specPA2025215 5 The removal of the larger pieces of tissue and the cleaning of the inner surface at step b) may occur simultaneously or separately. It may be necessary to clean or tidy the outer surface of the animal part at this step. Preferably, a further step is included before steps a) and or b) whereby the 5 animal part is turned inside out to assist in removal of the tissue or cleaning. Preferably, the cleaning is substantially completely cleaning the inner surface of material. Any suitable method of cleaning may be used including a combination of methods. Preferably, the cleaning may include some cleaning by hand including by use of a knife. Preferably, the cleaning may include io some mechanical cleaning. Preferably, a motorised wire wheel is used to clean the inner surface of the skin. Preferably, the inner surface is substantially completely cleaned in this way. Preferably, the cleaning also prepares the inner surface of the animal parts for preservation. The use of the motorised wire wheel may abrade or 15 otherwise assist to prepare the inner surface of the animal parts, which improves penetration of the preserving treatment. Other forms of preparing the inner surface to improve penetration of the preserving treatment may also be used. Preferably, the animal part is substantially completely submerged in the 20 preservation treatment. In alternative forms of the invention the submerging could be replaced with the treatment being sprayed or otherwise applied to the animal parts. Provided the preservation treatment is sufficiently applied the invention is not limited, necessarily to submerging in the preservation medium. 25 Preferably, the animal parts are supported on a support before being treated. The support may take any suitable form. Preferably, the support is one or more peg or pin on which the animal part rests. The peg or pin may be adapted to assist to maintain the shape of the animal part during the preservation process. specPA2025215 6 The preservation treatment may take any suitable form. Most preferably, the preservation treatment is a specific inventive formula developed by the inventor including a combination of formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid and Borax, in a water solution. Preferably, for each litre 5 of water the formaldehyde is substantially a 1 percent solution. Preferably, for each litre of water the hydrogen peroxide is substantially a 1 percent solution. Preferably, for each litre of water the hydrochloric acid is substantially a 1 percent solution. Preferably, 5g of Borax are used for each litre of water. The disclosed combination has been found to be specifically io useful but some variation is possible within the scope of the invention. The treatment as disclosed may be used with any other methods for treatment of animal skins. The defined time period may be any suitable time period. Preferably, the time period is substantially in the range of 20 to 30 minutes. 15 The removing of the animal parts from the preserving treatment may be the draining away of the preserving treatment. The removing may be the lifting of the animal part out of the solution. The draining may be natural draining, by centrifuge or through use of tipping the animal parts to speed up drainage. Preferably, a further step is included after the removal, where the animal part 20 has been turned inside out to turn it right way around again before the shaping step. The shaping may to shape the end product as useful for a souvenir or gift. The shaping may the reshaping of the animal part to how it was before the flesh and tissues were removed. The shaping may be any suitable shaping. 25 Preferably, the shaping is to a natural shape of a scrotum of an animal. Preferably, the shaping is the shape of a kangaroo scrotum. The preserving may take any suitable form to set the shape. The preserving of the shape formed at step e) may be made chosen from the group: use of an insert, mould or scaffold arrangement; use of a material which forms a specPA2025215 7 solid structure; or a combination of the two. The preserving of the shape may be through use of an insert shaped to mimic the shape of a part of an animal. The preserving of the shape may be to mimic the shape of the scrotum of an animal. The mimicking may the mimicking of the shape of a kangaroo 5 scrotum. Preferably, the animal parts are kangaroo scrotum, and use of the method and treatment produces a product with a substantially natural appearance of the kangaroo scrotum for use as a souvenir or gift. The insert may include a smooth surface to support the animal part in use, such as a handle for a utensil. The insert may be hollow. A scaffold may be io used instead to support and hold the animal part in the desired shape. Preferably, a plaster based material is used to maintain the shape of the animal part. The plaster material may include a material to change the consistency of the plaster. A mixture of plaster and styrene foam may be used to achieve a support of a suitable strength but also of a suitable weight. 15 A combination of 1 litre water mixed with plaster and 4 cups of granulated styrene foam is most preferable. Most preferably, kangaroo scrotum are used as animal parts and they are preserved and shaped to look like natural kangaroo scrotum for use as parts gifts or souvenirs. 20 The saleable product may be any suitable product. The saleable product may be a gift or souvenir. The saleable product may be a utensil holder. The saleable product may be chosen from the group: bottle opener; bottle stopper; key ring or utensil handle. The product may be any product which can incorporate the animal part. 25 Accordingly, the invention also provides a product for use in production of a gift of souvenir as produced using any of the methods and treatments as identified above in any of their forms or variants. specPA2025215 8 Where the animal part is the ankle skin, both ends may be sealed during manufacture to create an integral item. Accordingly, the present invention also provides, in a variant, a method and treatment of animal parts having an outer surface and an inner surface, the 5 method including the following steps: a) removal of any fleshy tissues from inside the animal parts; b) turning the animal parts inside out so that the inner surface is accessible; c) placing the inside out animal part on a support; 10 d) cleaning the inner surface of remaining fleshy tissues; e) to at least at some extend abrading the inner surface by the cleaning or an additional treatment, to improve penetration of the preservation treatment; f) submerging the animal parts into the preservation treatment for a 15 defined time period; g) removing the animal parts from the preservation treatment, and draining of any remaining treatment; h) shaping the animal part into a desired shape; and i) preserving the shape of the animal part by application of a product 20 inside the animal part to hold in shape, wherein the animal part can then be used to produce a saleable product. Preferably, a product is produced from the method in any of its forms and variants which may be used in the production of a souvenir or gift substantially resembling the scrotum of an animal. 25 The order of the steps of the methods may be varied to suit the particular animal parts to be treated. The invention will now be described in connection with a non-limiting preferred methods of treatment and resultant products: specPA2025215 9 The method and treatment described is one to produce products that look as animal scrotum, as part of a souvenir. Examples of the types of souvenirs that can be made from the processed parts of the animal include bottle and wine opener tops, eg the part you hold, stoppers for bottles, bottles or other 5 containers themselves, as well as cigarette lighter holders and key rings, as just a few examples. Clearly, the product of the method and treatment can be used in a plethora of different souvenirs and other items. Kangaroo meat is used throughout the world as a tender, healthy meat product for cooking and consumption. Raw, and unprocessed kangaroo 10 scrota can be purchased from the meat processing works as a by-product of the meat industry. As with other by-products, the meat works would be pleased to make a profit on this otherwise wasted material. Other parts of the kangaroo, can also be used instead, for example, the ankle of the kangaroo is of a suitable size to be shaped to also represent kangaroo scrotum, as 15 described below. In this case these parts of the kangaroo can also be sourced from the meat processing plant, or elsewhere. Clearly, where other animal products are used these are similarly sourced. The kangaroo scrotum or sacs are processed one at a time to prepare them for treatment; automation of some of the stages of the preparation could be 20 utilised in the future. In order for treatment to occur all the fleshy tissue materials must be cleaned from the sacs. The large parts are removed first, in the case of scrotum sacs the testicles must be removed. The removal of the testicles may be by hand, or mechanical means but either method detaches the testicles from the sac and removal for disposal. 25 Each sac can then be turned inside out so that the inner surface is accessible. For ease of use each sac is placed on an upright wooden pin, of approximately 300 millimetres. The pin is useful to hold the sac in place and allow the inner surface of the sac to be worked on, with control. Essential to all stages of the method and treatment is to maintain the integrity of the sac specPA2025215 10 so that the end product, the souvenir looks like kangaroo scrotum. Damage could be repaired but it is by far the best way to produce undamaged sacs, with no tears or rips. Once positioned on a peg each sac can be thoroughly cleaned so that all the 5 fleshy material is removed from the inner surface. The cleaning is readily achieved by careful application of a knife to remove the meat, fatty tissues, blood vessels, and nerve endings, for example, to produce a substantially clean surface. A motorised wire wheel is then used to thoroughly clean the inner surface of the kangaroo scrotum, ready for the preservation treatment. io Use of the motorised wire wheel also acts to rough up or open up the inner surface of the skin, after the removal of the superfluous tissues which has been found to better allow the preservation treatment to penetrate the scrotum-which is most beneficial. Other scraping or abrading methods could also be used to prepare the inner surface of the scrotum for the preservation 15 treatment. Once cleaned the scrotum sac is ready to be preserved through application of the inventive treatment. The skin is submerged with the inner surface outermost on the pegs so that the preservation treatment deeply penetrates the material and thoroughly preserves as required before use in souvenirs. 20 The inventor found that treatments available for preserving leather and other skins were not suitable for use to preserve scrotum. Through careful experimentation, a novel treatment has been developed which is suitable to preserve scrota, a vast improvement on the prior art. In experimental quantities, 1 litre of tap water has 1 percent formaldehyde 25 added, 1 percent hydrogen peroxide, "technical grade" 1 percent hydrochloric acid and 5 grams of Borax. Clearly, the volumes can be scaled up to suit the numbers of animal parts to be treated. The inverted scrota are submerged in the mixed treatment and left to treat for 20 to 30 minutes. Adjustment may be made for the size of the animal specPA2025215 11 parts, but 20 to 30 minutes has been found most suitable for complete treatment to occur. After treatment, the scrota are turned back right way out so that the outer surface is again accessible. The treatment fluid is drained away using a 5 funnel so that the scrota are free of the treatment liquid, and drying. A paste is made using, in experimental quantities, 1 litre of water to which is added 600 grams of casting plaster and 4 cups of granulated styrene foam. Again these quantities can be readily be multiplied up to larger quantities. The casting plaster and granulated styrene foam is a useful combination of io strength and lightness. Other, similar materials could be used instead to provide a strong, light stable material. Once the paste is mixed each sac is filled to full and a 100 millimetres length of wooden dowel applied approximately centrally. While the paste is soft, but may be setting, the sac is shaped by hand to represent the natural 15 contour of the kangaroo scrotum, or other product to be produced. Once shaped to satisfaction the kangaroo scrotum is left to dry and the paste set hard. Other action may be required for other paste mixtures. The particular paste mixture described has been found particular useful. Once the paste is set the kangaroo sac is ready for conversion to a souvenir, 20 in this example as a bottle opener. The metal bottle opener is attached by strong glue in the opening and sealed neatly. When stored by hanging from the metal bottle opener the natural scrotum shape will be clear and will hang down, as in nature. In use, the metal bottle opener must be held by the kangaroo scrotum, shaped to be natural, and with the natural outer surface 25 in order to open the bottle. It is anticipated that this and other novelty souvenirs will be very well received by the tourist public and others wishing to buy a novelty. The particular product used with the kangaroo scrotum part, can be varied and are not limited to the examples given here. For example, wine openers specPA2025215 12 or stoppers, key rings, vehicle decorations, cigarette lighter holders, in fact any suitable novelty item whereby the scrotum can be attached to a tool or utensil of some sort. Kangaroo scrota are readily available and a good commercial product as they 5 have the desired look. Some natural scrota are not usable for this method as the end product does not look as the public expects. In this case kangaroo scrota can be prepared and treated as described above and may be coloured or otherwise ornamented to look like the scrota of another animal. Kangaroo scrota are readily available and clearly, rarer animals may also have io simulated scrota made of kangaroo prepared for sale, with the appropriate labelling. To increase the numbers of products that can be produced the inventive method and treatment can be used on the ankle part of an animal, rather than the actual scrotum themselves. The method and treatment is similar to that 15 described above but used for the ankle region of the kangaroo to create a sock shape that can in turn be shaped to look like a scrotum. The method for ankle skin or "socks" processing is as follows. The animal material is sourced, such as from a kangaroo meat manufacturing plant, and cleaned as described for kangaroo scrotum. The different nature of the 20 animal material means that instead of testicles there are tendons to remove, and these are removed by hand, from the inverted sock. The further steps of cleaning and preservation treatment are very similar as described for scrotum above, adapted for the socks. Once all the larger fleshy material and tendons have been removed from the inner surface of the sock 25 can then be turned inside out, to remove the final material. Again the inside out sock can be placed on a wooden pin or peg to facilitate the process and to help to prevent damage to the sock. The sock is vulnerable to damage during the process and until it has been preserved and strengthened through the treatment. specPA2025215 13 Full cleaning of the inner surface of the sock is made and then the motorised wire wheel is then used to thoroughly clean and abrade the surface. The cleaning is necessary to remove any parts that may decompose and the abrading assists to open the surface ready to be treated. 5 Once cleaned the sock, too, is ready to be preserved through application of the inventive treatment, of 1 litre of tap water has 1 percent formaldehyde added, 1 percent hydrogen peroxide, "technical grade" 1 percent hydrochloric acid and 5 grams of Borax. Each skin sock can be treated individually or several can be treated at the same time, either by leaving immersed in the io solution for 20 to 30 minutes. A longer time could be used for larger pieces of skin. Once the skin sock has been preserved using the method and treatment much as for the scrotum, the method then deviates. The sock is then pulled over a plastic insert, with a smooth surface and shaped like a natural 15 kangaroo scrotum to give a suitable shape to the ankle sock skin. The plastic insert could be used in another method with the scrotum themselves to give a consistent shape if desired, although this does move away from the natural look where every pair is slightly different. Once the plastic insert is in place, over the top of the plastic insert the open 20 base is tucked into the slotted base of the insert. The top open end of the sock is then folded around the neck of the insert and held in place with rubber bands until dry. On completion the whole insert is covered in furred skin, to represent kangaroo scrotum for use in souvenirs. The plastic insert is advantageous in that it adds strength to the article which may be useful where 25 the "scrotum" is to be used as a handle. So if used perhaps as a handle for a corkscrew, or serving spoon even, the shape is maintained by the plastic insert. There are numerous applications of the scrotum or other animal parts once prepare and treated and not limited to as described herein. Further, the specPA2025215 14 invention has numerous uses and is not in any way limited to the useful examples of utensil holders herein described. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that changes may be made to the methods and resultant products disclosed herein without departing from 5 the spirit and scope of the invention, in its various aspects. specPA2025215