CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. 299 



up towards the inguinal rings. This contractile tissue enters 

 as an element, into the constitution of the penis and clitoris, 

 and probably also into that of the blood vessels, and the'excre- 

 tory ducts of the glands. When viewed under the microscope, 

 the contractile fibre is found different from the round fibres of 

 the common fibrous tissue ; they are larger, redder, and possess 

 a peculiar kind of transparency. The muscular fibres on the 

 inner face of the prostrate glands, and the muscles of Wilson 

 on the membranous part of the urethrae seem to be allied to 

 this class of tissue. This opinion seems borne out by the de- 

 velopment of the muscles in the foetus, as previously quoted 

 from Isenflam. 



Muscles are composed chemically, according to Berzelius, 

 principally of fibrine ; but they contain also albumen, gelatine, 

 osmazome, phosphates of soda, ammonia and lime, carbonate 

 of lime, and some free lactic acid. If the analysis is pushed 

 farther to the destruction of the flesh, there is developed a great 

 quantity of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen and carbon, some iron, 

 phosphorus, soda and lime. 



