QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION OF THE MUSCLES. 599 



of meat; but there are no exact scientific analyses with sufficient regard 

 to the quantity of different protein bodies and the remaining muscle 

 constituents, that is, these analyses are incomplete or of little value. 

 We will only give a few of the results of the work of various investigators. 

 The figures are parts per 1000. 



Muscles of Muscles of Muscles of 



Mammals. Birds. Cold-boolded 



Animals. 



Solids 217-278 225-282 200 



Water 722-783 717-773 800 



Organic bodies 207-263 217-263 180-190 



Inorganic bodies 10-15 10-19 10-20 



Myosin 30-106 29.8-110 29.7-87 



Stroma substance (DA.NILEWSKI) 78-161 88.0-184 70.0-121 



Creatine 2-4.5 3-4.9 2.3-7 



Carnosine 1 . 3-4 



Carnitine 0. 19 



Purinebases 1.3-1.7 0.7-1.3 0.53-0.88 



Inosinic acid (barium salt) 0.1 0. 1-0 . 3 



Phosphocarnic acid . 57-2 . 4 



Inosite 0.03 



Glycogen 1-37 



Lactic acid 0.4-0.7 



Of the mineral substances the largest part consists of phosphoric 

 acid 3.4-4.8 p. m. and potassium 3-4 p. m. The amount of sodium 

 is ordinarily only J-J of that of the potassium. Pork, according to 

 KATZ, 1 who has carried out complete investigations as to the quantity 

 of mineral constituents of the human muscle and of other animals, is 

 considerably richer than other varieties of meat, in sodium than potas- 

 sium. The quantity of chlorine, which is also variable, was found by 

 MAGNUS-LEVY to be 2.4 p. m. (calculated as NaCl) for the human heart 

 muscle and 1.004 p. m. in other muscles. The amount of Ca and Mg 

 was found by him to be equal to 0.019 and 0.174 p. m. respectively in the 

 heart muscle and 0.065 and 0.215 p. m. respectively in other muscles, 

 v. MORACZEWSKI obtained higher results for the Ca content of the human 

 heart muscle, namely 0.07 p.m. GLEY and RICHAUD 2 found 0.25-0.26 

 p. m. Ca in the heart muscle of the dog, and 0.089-0.248 p. m. Ca in that 

 from the rabbit. The magnesium content of the muscles seems, with 

 the exception of the haddock, eel and pike (KATZ), to be greater than the 

 calcium content. The statements differ very considerably in regard 

 to the iron content. Thus ScHMEY 3 found 0.0793 p. m. iron in the human 

 muscle, while MAGNUS-LEVY found 0.253 p. m., and in the human heart 



1 Katz, Pfliiger's Arch., 63; see also Schmey, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 39. 



2 Magnus-Levy, Bioch. Zeitschr. 24; v. Moraczewski, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem. 

 23; Gley and Richaud, Journ. de Physiol. et de Path., 12. 



3 Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem. 39; Magnus-Levy, 1. c. 



