LTMJE AND MAGNESIA. 



67 



the higher animals, one can not help seeking for a law underlying 

 these facts, which are in full accord with the writer's inference that 

 the amount of lime must increase with that of the nuclear mass. 



In this connection it is of some interest to compare the decrease of 

 magnesium with the increase of calcium observed in the glands, 

 as shown in the following statement: 



Ratio of calcium, to magnesium in certain tissues of animals. 



For the muscles of mammalia 0. 31 (Katz). 



For the white matter of brain (calf) 1. ^Icpovonao-a) 



For the white matter of brain (horse) 0. 30/ 



For the gray matter of brain (calf) 1. 72 



For the gray matter of brain (horse) 2. 80 



For the 1 glands: 



Pancreas (cattle) 6. 13 (Gossmann, 1899) . 



Pancreas (man ) 4. 75 ( Gossmann, 1899) . 



Pancreas (man) 1. 73 (Liming, 1900). 



Pancreas (?) 4. 05 (Alog, 1900). 



Spleen (cattle) 2. 52 ( Ribaut, 1900, average of 3 deter- 

 minations). 



Spleen (?) 6.79 (Alog). 



Pulp of spleen (cattle) 3. 45HRibaut, Jahresbericht fur Thier- 



Connective tissue of spleen (cattle) 2. 70J chemich., vol. 30, p. 492). 



Kidney (?) 1.84 (Alog). 



Kidney (cattle) 2. 90 (Gossmann). 



Kidney ( man ) 4. 25 ( Gossmann) . 



Lactiferous gland (cow) 4. 69 (Toyonaga). 



No clear observer will deny that there must be a reason for this dif- 

 ferent ratio in all organs rich in nuclear mass compared with the ratio 

 found in muscles and the white matter of the brain. 



Some data regarding the absolute amounts of calcium and mag- 

 nesium in the dry matter may be added. In 100 parts of dry matter 

 of the organs there is — 



Elements. 



Muscles of 

 mammalia. 



Spleen 

 (Ribaut, 

 average). 



Lactiferous 

 gland (Toy- 

 onaga). 





Per cent. 



0. 0337 



. 1090 



Per cent. 



0.141 



.056 



Per cent. 



0.173 



.038 







BEHAVIOR OF ANIMALS TO STRONTIUM SALTS AND OXALATES. 



The replacement of calcium salts by strontium salts is just as impos- 

 sible in animals as in plants. Not even in the formation of the bones 

 can strontium phosphate take the place of calcium phosphate. Crae- 

 mer fed a rapidly growing young dog for several months with food 

 poor in lime, and to which an addition of strontium phosphate was 



