354 



GASES LIBERATED IN THE RIGOR OF MUSCLE. [BOOK I. 



Nature of 

 gases libe- 

 rated by 

 muscle in 

 rigor. 



within a few hours of the commencement of the experiment, and 

 must not be confused with the primary discharge. "We need not 

 here further discuss it 1 . 



The gases of the primary discharges obtained from 

 muscle raised from to temperatures varying from 5 

 to 70, added to the gases liberated by phosphoric acid, 

 vary from 1 to 15 vols. per cent, of the muscle used. 

 These gases contain no oxygen whatever ; on the 

 contrary, if salt-solution containing dissolved air have been used, 

 some of the oxygen will have disappeared from solution. Nitrogen is 

 constantly present in small amount in the portions of gas first set 

 free; but subsequently no nitrogen can be detected until the 

 secondary discharge begins. Carbonic anhydride is the chief, and 

 indeed the only constituent of the gas discharged during the middle 

 of an experiment 2 . 



The following experimental numbers will serve to illustrate these 

 conclusions. 



Experiment. 57*3 grms. ( = 54*16 c.cm.) of frozen and triturated frog- 

 muscle (the muscles of three or four frogs may be used) were exhausted 

 in boiled salt-solution at a temperature of 50 C. After the cessation of 

 the primary discharge, phosphoric acid was added, and the gases collected at 

 a temperature of 60, as long as they continued to be evolved. 



PORTION I. BEFORE ADDITION OF ACID. 



PORTION II. AFTER ADDITION OF ACID. 



Experiment. 34-2 grms. (= 32-33 c.cm.) of frozen and triturated frog- 

 muscle, in boiled salt-solution, exhausted at 0C. yielded no gas. Phos- 



1 Hermann, Op. cit. p. 11. 



2 Hermann, Op. cit. p. 10. 



