COMPOSITION OF ANIMAL BODIES. 23 



It will be important when considering the effect of 

 albuminoids in the fattening ration of animals to refer to 

 this analysis. 



3d. The skin, hair, horn, hoof and wool possess a simi- 

 lar composition to the muscular parts of the animal body, 

 the principal difference consisting in a larger proportion 

 of sulphur (three to five per cent.) which they contain, and 

 varying proportions of nitrogen. They consist of a sub- 

 stance resembling gluten and gelatine in composition, and, 

 containing less water than muscular fibre, they leave from 

 one to two per cent, of ash. According to Johnston they 

 contain of organic matter : 



Horse's Hoof. Skin. Wool. Hair. Horn. 

 (Mulder.) 



Carbon 51.41 50.99 50.65 51.53 51.99 



Hydrogen 6.96 7.07 7.03 6.69 6.72 



Nitrogen 17.46 18.72 17.71 17.94 17.28 



Oxygen and Sulphur. 24.72 23.22 24.61 23.84 24.01 



100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 



4th. The fat of animals is a mixture of several organic 

 compounds, which are all distinguished by containing a 

 large proportion of carbon, united with oxygen and hydro- 

 gen, but has no nitrogen, or inorganic matter. The same 

 constituents which are found in animal exist in the vege- 

 table oils and fatty matters of vegetables. 



In order that the reader may have a mode of comparison 

 of the relative value of fat and starch in foods, we give the 

 following average analyses of fats : 



Carbon. Hydrogen. Oxygen. 



Beef fat 76.50 11.91 11.59 



Mutton fat 76.61 12.03 11.36 



Porkfat 76.54 11.94 11.52 



5th. The bones consist of about one- third organic 

 matter, made up mostly of gelatine, containing about 18 

 per cent, of nitrogen ; and the other two-thirds, or 66 per 

 cent., of phosphate of lime, carbonate of lime, phosphate 

 of magnesia, potash and common salt. 



