420 GENERAL ANATOMY. 



separation into fibres and change its colour in various manners. 

 Alcohol renders it paH; alum turns it brown and hardens it 

 greatly: nitrate of potash and common salt render it slightly 

 red, and having at first hardened it, afterwards soften it, espe^ 

 cially the first, while it retards its decomposition. According 

 to the observations, as yet unpublished, of Mr. Britonneau, 

 and those of Mr. Labaraque, the solution of chlorid of calcium 

 at a suitable degree of concentration, preserves the consistency, 

 the flexibility and other natural.qualities of muscular flesh and 

 the other soft parts. 



666. Muscular substance treated with cold water, yields to 

 it colouring matter, somewhat differing from that of the blood, 

 some gelatin and albumen, and an extractive matter noticed 

 by Thouvenel. 



' Submitted to the action 'of boiling water, flesh furnishes a 

 greater portion of these same substances, and moreover some 

 fat. The muscle thus treated, and exhausted by the pro- 

 longed action of water, there remains only some discoloured 

 fibres, insoluble in water, 'easily separated, by desiccation be- 

 coming brittle, and having all the properties of fibrine. Mus- 

 cular substance being calcined, leaves about one twentieth of its 

 weight of saline matter. 



It follows from these facts, observed by Thouvenel, Four- 

 cro) r , M. Thenard and others, that the muscles are principally 

 composed of fibrine, that they also contain -albumen, gelatin, 

 extractive, osmazome of M. Thenard, phosphates of soda, am- 

 monia and lime, and carbonate of lime. 



These observations have been particularly made on ox's 

 flesh; but as the chemical properties of the muscles present 

 differences even in animals of a nature very similar, they are* 

 not perhaps exactly applicable to man. 



667. During life, the muscles enjoy an active force or 

 property, commonly designated under the names of muscular, 

 irritability, muscular force, or myotility. 

 668. Muscular action* has been the subject of much labour 



'See Fr. Glisson, anaJt. Jiepatis. Lend. 1654. Swammerdam, Biblia.nat.,, 



