NOTES ON OSTEO-MALACIA (BONE-CHEWING). 



21 



TABLE XII. 

 ASH analyses of German and American Grasses. 



Lime, magnesia and phosphoric acid were determined in the ash obtained 

 by carefully igniting the grass at a low temperature, and potash was deter- 

 mined in the ash obtained by first sulphating the grass and then igniting 

 at a low temperature. 



The results of the analysis of the grass as received is given in Table VIII, 

 and in Table IX is given those analyses calculated to 70 per cent, moisture 

 content, which is the percentage of moisture in average grass. 



In Table X these have been calculated to a moisture-free basis, and the 

 ash constituents have been stated in percentage of the total ash in Table XI. 

 This has been done to enable these to be readily compared with published 

 analyses from other sources. The ratio of lime to magnesia to potash is also 

 to be found at the foot of Table XI. 



For purposes of comparison the composition of the ash of grasses grown in 

 other countries is given, and also the lime-magnesia-potash ratio (Table XII). 



On referring to Table XI it is to be noted that in grass from affected areas 

 the lime-magiiesia-potash ratio (1 : 0-43 : 2-45) is lower than that from non- 

 affected areas (1: 0-48: 3-65), and also that the latter more nearly approaches 

 the mean lime-magnesia-potash ratio of German and American grasses 

 (1: 0-51: 3-55), while the former is decidedly under the mean. 



This difference in lime, potash, and phosphoric acid between grass from 

 affected and non-affected areas is possibly rendered more apparent if we 

 consider the amounts of these substances that an ordinary cow would ingest 

 if she were to eat an ordinary daily ration of these grasses. To illustrate 

 this, Table XIII has been prepared, which shows the number of ounces of 

 mineral matter that the cow would obtain were it to consume 56 Ib. weight 

 of grass, which is considered to be a good average quantity. 



Table XIII shows very clearly that if the ordinary ration of grass is fed 

 to a cow (viz., 56, Ib.), it is only in samples Cl and 02 (from unaffected 

 areas) that the amounts of mineral matter, 1/66 and 1'67 oz. phosphoric acid, 

 1*21 and 1*25 oz. of lime, 4'42 and 4'56 oz. of potash, approximates the 

 amounts of these ingredients found by Stohmann to be necessary to health. 

 In all the other cases these amounts are only about half of the mineral 

 matter found to be necessary. 



