418 



Progress of Foreign Science. 



which it contains. The water deposits this silica in the subter- 

 raneous channels which it passes through, under the form of 

 tubercular masses, often very large, and resembling flint. Ann. 

 de Chitn. et de Phys. xix. 25. 



On the influence which water exercises 07i certain Animal Pro- 

 ducts. By M. Chevreul. 



1. Tendons. — These, when dried, become much slenderer, 

 lose their white colour, their satiny lustre, and extreme pliability. 

 They acquire the semi-transparency of horn, a yellow colour, 

 bordering slightly on red. Tendons of the elephant, preserved 

 four years in the dry state, re-produce a fresh tendon, when kept 

 some time immersed in water. 



Table of experiments on Tendons. 



100 parts of a large tendon of the 



elephant, are reduced by dryinst 



in the air, to 51.56 



In vacuo, to 50.00 



lOO parts ofa slender tendon 

 of the same — ^in air, to .. 46.91 



Invacuo 43.30 



lOO parts ofa large ox tendon 

 are reduced in air, to .... 52-96 



In vacuo, to 49.6 1 



100 of slender ox-tendon in 



air, to 44. 1 5 



In vacuo 42.34 



100 of slender human tendon 



become in air 43.13 



In vacuo 37-98 



2. Yellow elastic tissue. — 

 100 parts fresh from the ele- 

 phant are reduced in air, 

 to 52.57 24hours 99- 



Invacuo, to 50. 5 12 days 147. 



100 parts fresh from the ox — 



in air 52.8 24 hours •••• 99. 



Invacuo to 49. 6 13 day:i 148. 



3. Cartilage of the Ear. — 100 parts of that of a man of forty 

 years, after it was steeped in water, were reduced in the air to 

 33.5, and in vacuo, to 30.64. These 30.64 parts had absorbed 

 at the end of 24 hours, 66.14 of water, and at the end of four 

 days, 69.36, exactly what they had lost by desiccation. 



4. Cartilaginous ligaments. — 100 parts of the cartilaginous 

 ligament of the knee of a woman, thirty years of age, after 

 having been steeped in water, were reduced, in air to 26.41, and 

 in vacuo to 23.2. 



5. Of Fibrina. — 100 parts from the arterial blood of a cow 

 were reduced in the air to 21.1, and in vacuo to 19.35. 100 

 parts from the venous blood of a cow, became in air 22.7 ; in 

 vacuo 21.05. 



6. Cortiea. — Of opaque cornea, dried in vacuo, 100 parts 

 became, after an immersion in water of 



24 hours, 268.18 4 days, 461.28. 



Water absorbed by 100 parts 

 of the opposite bodies, 

 after immersion of 12 to 

 24 hours 102. o 



S days at least 147. 



12 to 24 hours 130. 3 



8 days at least 1 47 63 



12 to 24 hours 100.34 



8 days at least 146.58 



12 to 24 hours is^J. 



8 days at loa<:t lis. 



1 2 to 24 hours 1 47-87 



5 days 271.79 



