ACTION OF DIFFERENT GASSES ON MEAT* 177 



The 15 inches remaining having been tested with nitrous 

 gas, I found that they contained 5*4 of nitrogen, and 9*6 of 

 oxigen. Thus the 2b*5 inches of oxigen gss have been em- 

 ployed in ' 



13*5 carbonic acid, 

 5'4 nitrogen, 

 96 oxigen. 



14. Atmospheric air. 

 The meat putrefied, and was decomposed on the 48th Exp 14. A^t- 

 day. The water rose considerably, and absorbed 21 cubic ^g^water *"' 

 inches out of the 96, that the jar contained. The experi- 

 ment having been deranged, I could not continue my ob- 

 servations. 



15. Pure hidrogen gas, 



1st day. The meat became of a poppy colour. Exp. 15. Hi- 



4th day. No change, except that the meat appeared ^^"2^" S^^* 

 dried. 



6th day. Some mouldiness observed, that increased on 

 the 7th day. 



From the 8th to the 41st day no farther change was ob- 

 served, except that about the 20th the mouldiness had dis- 

 appeared. The meat resembled beef salted without nitre 

 and smoked. It had not the least bad smell. 



The gas, tested with lime-water, did not render it turbid. 

 It burned with force and energy. 



From these experiments it appears how necessary it is, 

 to repeat them separately, in order to obtain some certain 

 results. It appears however, that we may draw from them 

 the following conclusions. 



1. That hidrogen preserves, and even increases the firm- Gene**! de 

 ness of meat, by drying it. That oxigen on the contrary <^"ctions. 

 diminishes this firmness, rendering tlie meat flaccid and 



moist. It is remarkable, that hidrogen preserves this 

 firmness even over water, when the gas is saturated with 

 moisture. 



2. That meat is changed and liquefied much more 

 speediVy in oxigen, when it contains nitrogen, as in atmos- 



VoL. XXXL—March 1812. N ph«ric 



