Animal Substances into a fatty Matter. 241 
filled it; I inverted it in a bason, which contained the same 
fluid ; I introduced a small piece of lean meat, and also a small 
quantity of water ; at the end of about six weeks, s j great a 
quantity of gas was disengaged as nearly to occupy the whole 
of the vessel ; the meat had assumed a white appearance. 
Since I mentioned my former experiments on the cow, 
which I had submitted to the action of running water, 1 have 
observed a few facts relating to the. changes which took place. 
This cow was placed in a situation where the water could come 
twice every day, as before described ; over it some loose earth 
was thrown : after it had remained some time in this place, I 
used frequently to push a stick through this earth to the cow ; 
every time this was done there came up a prodigious quantity 
of air, after I had suffered it to remain quiet for a short time. 
Since I put this cow in this situation, I have had two horses 
and another cow placed under the same circumstances ; in all 
of them this disengagement of air takes place ; this air is. ex- 
tremely offensive. 
In the former cow the whole muscular part seemed changed ; 
and from the substance formed I have procured a very large 
quantity of a waxy substance by means of the nitrous acid. 
Though the nitrous acid takes off the greatest part of the foetor 
from the substance thus formed, yet it gives it a yellow co- 
lour which is with difficulty removed, and a peculiar smell, 
evidently similar to the smell of the acid employed, which 
mere washing and the addition of alkalies will not entirely re- 
move. 
My father, who has been indefatigable in his attempts to 
whiten this substance, finds that the following process will 
make it very pure, and very beautiful, though not so white as 
