382 



Physical Chemistry of Muscle Plasma 



[April 



myoprotein is totally precipitated by strong and prolonged dialysis. 

 As this precipitation process is also a continuous one, I do not 

 deny that it begins during the first 24-48 hours; therefore the pre- 

 cipitate of granules which forms early during dialysis may also 

 contain a little myoprotein. 



A trace of dissolved protein can always be found in plasma 

 wiiich has been dialyzed continuously for several months. It is 

 probably serumalbumin, which cannot be wholly eliminated. 



Muscle pigments (hemoglobin, MacMunn's myohematin) are 

 partly removed from the plasma by the agglutinated granules — ad- 

 sorbed by them, and are also precipitated in some degree with myo- 

 protein by prolonged dialysis. 



The granules and myoprotein, freed from electrolytes by suffi- 

 ciently long dialysis, move toward the anode, when put under the 

 influence of a strong electric current; they carry electronegative 

 charges. 



For muscle plasma I have determined the quantity of plasma as 

 per Cent, of fresh muscle, the total solid and total protein contents 

 and ash yield, the specific gravi ty, lowering of the freezing point, 

 electric conductivity, viscosity, surface tension and chemical reac- 

 tion. Tables 1-3 contain the results of these determinations. 



TABLE I 



General data pertaining to muscle and muscle plasma 



The plasma varied in quantity from 40 to 63 per cent. (volume), 

 for pressures which never exceeded 350 atmospheres. The dry 

 residue from piain muscle plasma was less than that from striated 

 muscle plasma. The total protein content was relatively low — less 

 than that of blood serum. Muscle plasmas are very rieh in their 



