CHANGES 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. 
HISTOEY OF CAKCASS. 
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 floor, 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 46 hours in storage in the packing-house 
coolers, the two hind quarters of the carcass were carefully wrapped 
