r 
406 E. Frankland on the Source of Muscular Power. 
the only other mode of exit for this element is through the 
feces. Now the proportion secreted through the feeces has been 
estimated by Ranke at about one-twelfth of that in the urine; 
but inasmuch as all experiments on the subject tend to show 
that this alvine nitrogen is, as voided, a constituent of un-oxyd- 
ized compounds, that is, of compounds that have not yielded up © 
their force, it has no claim upon our attention. 
There is still another circumstance which requires to be taken 
into consideration before we proceed to apply our three data to 
the solution of the problem before us. It is this:—Is it possible 
that at the termination of the ascent of the Faulhorn there might 
sential work in ascending, have been estimated by Weber to 
weigh in both legs 5’8 kilograms, and if we assume that before 
the ascent these muscles contained ‘06 per cent of creatin, while 
ter the ascent the percentage had increased to ‘14 per cent, 
then the amount of creatin thus exceptionally retained would 
amount to 4°64 grams, which would be derived from 84 grams 
of muscl 
e. : 
The speaker had been unable to determine the calorific effect 
of creatin, and consequently the actual energy developed by the 
transformation of muscle into creatin; for, although he was 
kindly furnished with an ample supply of this material by Dr. 
Dittmar, yet all attempts to burn it in the calorimeter were fruit- 
less. n when mixed in very small proportions with chlorate 
of potash and other combustibles of known value, the mixture 
invariably exploded violently on ignition. Although actual de- 
termination thus fails us, there can be no doubt that the trans- 
‘or of muscle into creatin and other non-nitrogenous pro- 
ducts must be attended by the liberation of far less actual energy 
than its transformation into urea, carbonic acid, and water. To 
be convinced of this, it is only necessary to compare (under 
equal nitrogen value) the formule of muscle, creatin, and urea, 
sesses no thermal value, and that each atom of oxygen destroys 
approximately the thermal effect of two atoms of hydrogen. 
