CHAISTGES IN" FRESH BEEF DURING COLD STORAGE. 41 



Total phosphorus shows slight increases, the significance of which 

 is not yet apparent. 



It appears that a better comprehension of the changes in the vari- 

 ous forms of phosphorus can be had from a consideration, of 

 Table 18. 



Table 18 shows the distribution of nitrogen and phosphorous com- 

 pounds expressed in terms of percentages of total nitrogen and total 

 phosphorus. It may be noted that the percentage changes expressed 

 in this table are not identical with those shown in Table 17. These 

 differences are due to slightly different bases of calculation, as is 

 indicated in the headings of the respective tables. 



The nitrogen data, for the most part, are self-explanatory. 



Insoluble phosphorus shows a large increase in the case of the 

 rump and an appreciable increase in the case of the loin. The 

 irregular nature of the changes in this constituent are of undeter- 

 mined significance. 



Total soluble phosphorus, of course, shows changes which are equal 

 and opposite to the changes in insoluble phosphorus. The signifi- 

 cance of these changes has not been established. 



Soluble inorganic phosphorus shows appreciable increases which 

 range from 15.68 per cent in the case of the rump to 18.68 per cent 

 in the case of the round. These changes are in conformity with 

 similar changes observed in the autolysis experiment, and may be 

 regarded as due to the action of phosphatases upon organic phos- 

 phorous compounds. 



Soluble organic phosphorus shows changes that are opposite in 

 character to those observed in case of the inorganic phosphorus. 

 There were marked relative decreases in organic phosphorus ranging 

 from 28.01 per cent in the case of the round to 46.47 per cent in the 

 case of the rump. Changes in organic phosphorus do not, as a rule, 

 constitute as true an index of the extent of organic phosphorous 

 cleavage as do the corresponding changes in inorganic phosphorus. 



EXPERIMENT NO. 2. 

 HISTORY OF CARCASS. 



A " grade " Shorthorn steer of fair quality and finish was slaugh- 

 tered in the usual manner. The carcass was allowed to hang for 

 2 hours on the killing fioor, after which it was transferred to the 

 fore cooler, where it was held for 17 hours, and then to the main 

 cooler, where it was held for 29 hours. The temperature of the 

 fore cooler ranged from 31° to 43" F. and that of the main cooler 

 from 25'"'' to 30'^ F. The humidity of the fore cooler was 95 per cent 

 of saturation and that of the main cooler ranged from 75 to 95 per 

 cent. After having been 40 hours in storage in the packing-house 

 coolers, the two hind (juarters of the carcass were carefully wrapped 



