MUSCLES. 



Berzelius. 



Muscular fibre, vessels, and nerves, 15-8 \ 17.70 

 Cellular substance soluble by carbon, 1 -9 / 



Soluble albumen and colouring matter, 2-20 



Alcoholic extract with salts, . . 1*80 



Aqueous extract with salts, . 1*05 



Phosphate of lime containing albumen, 0-08 



Water, . . 77-17 



100-00* 



Braconnot. 



Fibrin, vessels, nerves, and cellular substances, 18-196 



Albumen with colouring matter and phosphate of) 2 '7 33 



lime and magnesia, . . / 



Alcoholic extract, 1*566 



Lactate of potash, . . 0-186 



Phosphate of potash, . . . 0-153 



Common salt, . . . 0-126 



Water, .... 77-036 



100-OOOf 



It is universally known that when flesh is left exposed to the 

 air, it runs into putrefaction very rapidly, giving out an exces- 

 sively disagreeable smell, and becoming soft and pulpy. But 

 in an air-tight vessel freed from oxygen gas, it may be kept for 

 years without any sensible alteration. In this way, it is often 

 exported from this country to India ; and I have eat beef per- 

 fectly fresh and good, after it had made a voyage to India and 

 back again. 



The action of reagents on muscle is the same as on fibrin. 

 When very dilute acids are poured on flesh, a certain portion is 

 absorbed, the flesh becomes harder, and much less liable to pu- 

 trefaction. When the acids are stronger, the flesh swells out, 

 and is. converted into a jelly, which is soluble in water. Dilute 

 caustic alkalies dissolve flesh slowly ; but when they are concen- 

 trated, the solution is rapid. During the solution ammonia is 

 evolved, and a little alkaline sulphuret formed. Salts having an 

 alkaline base preserve flesh from putrefying. For this purpose 



* Djurkemien, ii. 178. t Ann< de Chim. et de Phys. xxvii. 390. 



