ON MUSCULAR MOTION. 259. ' 



The rpccific gravity of the crimped fifli - - 1,105 

 of the dead lifli, after an equal 



immertion in water - > 1,090. 



So that the acceffion of water fpecifically. lighter than the 

 mufcle of filh, did not diminifh the fpecific gravity of crimped 

 imifcle, but the contrary : a proof that condenfation had taken 

 place. 



A piece of cod-firti weighing twelve pound-;, gained in Other fubftances 

 weight, by crimping, two ounces avoirdupois; and ^^^o^her f^j."'^^;^'' 

 lefs vivacious piece, of fifteen pounds, gained one ounce and 

 half*. 



The hinder limb of a frog, having the fliin flripped off, and 

 weighing 77-fV grains, was immerfed in water at 3 ■I*', and fuf- 

 fered to remain nineteen hours, when it had become rigid, and 

 weighed 100| grains. The fpecific gravity of the contradled 

 limb had increaled, as in the crimped fifh. 



Six iuindred and thirty grains weight of the fubfcapularls 

 mufcle of a calf, which had been killed two days from the 

 lOlh of January, was immerfed in New River water at 45^. 

 After ninety minutes, the mufcle was contraded, and weighed 

 in air 770 grains : it had alio increafed in fpecific gravity, but 

 the quantity of air-bubbles formed in the interfticial fpaces 

 of the reticular membrane made it difficult to afcertain the 

 degree. 



Some of the fmallefl fafciculi of mufcular fibres from the Fibrils of 



fame veal, which had not been immerfed in water, were placed "^"^'^'^^ contraft 



• by application or 



on a glafs plate, in the field of a powerful microfcope, and water. 



a drop of water thrown over them, at the temperature of 5 t**, 



the atmofphere in the roon:i being d7^. They inftantly began 



to contra(5l, and became tortuous. 



On confining the ends of another fibril with little weights 



of glafs, it contra61s?d two-thirds of its former length, by 



fimilar treatment. The fame experiment was made on the 



mufcular fibres of lamb and beef, twelve hours after the 



animals had been killed, with the like refults. Neither 



* I am informed that the crimping of fredi water fifhes requires 

 hard water, or fuch as does not fuit the purpofes of walhing with 

 foap. This fa6l is fubitantiated by the praftice of the London fi/h- 

 mongers, whofe experience has taught them to employ pump water, 

 or what is commonly called hard water. 



^'/ S 2 vinegar. 



