270 



BONES 



The ash contained 

 Lime . 



Phosphorus pentoxide . 

 Silica . 



32-28 



21-80 



0-09 



The ratio of nitrogen to ash = 1 : 14' 3. 



With four animals which had died of osteoporosis, the figures 

 were 



Moisture 

 Organic matter 

 Ash 



The organic matter contained 



Fat . . . . 

 Nitrogen .... 



The ash contained 



Lime ... 

 Phosphorus pentoxide . 

 Silica . 



6-10 

 42-85 

 51-05 



100-00 



9-08 

 4-62 



27-74 



19-71 



013 



The ratio of nitrogen to ash = 1 : 11-0. 



The bones of the diseased animals were thus richer in moisture, 

 organic matter, nitrogen and silica, but much poorer in ash, lime and 

 phophorus pentoxide than those of the normal animals. 

 ~ Similar and equally concordant results were found with donkeys 

 and horses. 



The ratio of nitrogen to ash in the bones is the most significant 

 point, since it is really a measure of the proportion of ossein to in- 

 organic matter : the proportion of fat present may be liable to acci- 

 dental variation. 



The inorganic matter left as ash consists mainly of calcium phos- 

 phate, but includes also carbonates, chlorides and fluorides of calcium 

 and magnesium. 



The following table gives the percentage composition of the ash of 

 bones of various animals l : 



1 Hammarsten, Physiological Chemistry, p. 239. 



