MUSCLE. 271 



In these tables, which have little value because of the variation 

 in the composition of the muscles, we have no results as to the 

 estimates of fat. Because of the variable quantity of fat in meat 

 it is hardly possible to quote a positive average for this body. 

 After most careful efforts to remove the fat from the muscles with- 

 out chemical means, it has been found that a variable amount of 

 inter-muscular fat, which does not really belong to the muscular 

 tissue, always remains. The smallest quantity of fat in the mus- 

 cles from lean oxen is, according to GROUVEN, 6.1 p. m., and accord- 

 ing to PETERSEN, 7.6 p. m. This last observer also found habitually 

 a smaller amount of fat, 7.6-8.6 p. m., in the fore quarter of oxen, 

 and a greater amount, 30.1-34.6 p. m., in the hind quarter of the 

 animal. A lower amount of fat has also been found in the muscles 

 of wild animals. B. KOKIG and FARWICK found in the muscles of 

 the extremities of the hare 10.7 p. m. fat, and 14.3 p. m. in the 

 muscles of the partridge. The muscles of pigs and fattened ani- 

 mals are, when all the appending fat is removed, very rich in fat, 

 amounting to 40-90 p. m. The muscles of certain fishes also con- 

 tain a large amount of fat. According to ALMEN, the flesh of the 

 salmon, mackerel, and eel contain respectively 100, 164, and 329 

 p. m. fat. 



The quantity of WATER in the muscle is liable to considerable 

 variation. The amount of fat has a special influence on the quan- 

 tity of water, and we find, as a rule, that the flesh which is deficient 

 in water is correspondingly rich in fat. The quantity of water 

 does not depend alone upon the amount of fat, but upon many 

 other circumstances, among which we must mention the age of the 

 animal. In young animals the organs in general, and therefore 

 also the muscles, are poorer in solids and richer in water. In man 

 the amount of water decreases until mature age, but increases again 

 towards old age. Work and rest also influence the amount of 

 water, for the active muscle contains more water than the inactive. 

 The uninterruptedly active heart should therefore be the muscle 

 richest in water. That the amount of water may vary independ- 

 ently of the amount of fat is strikingly shown by comparing the 

 muscles of different species of animals. In cold-blooded animals 

 the muscles generally have a greater amount of water, in birds a 

 lower. The comparison of the flesh of cattle and fish shows very 



