2 4 
Mr. Carlisle’s Lecture 
muscle of fish, did not diminish the specific gravity of crimped 
muscle, but the contrary : a proof that condensation had taken 
place. 
A piece of cod-fish weighing twelve pounds, gained in weight, 
by crimping, two ounces avoirdupois ; and another less viva- 
cious piece, of fifteen pounds, gained one ounce and half.* 
The hinder limb of a frog, having the skin stripped off, and 
weighing 77JL grains, was immersed in water at 54,°, and suf- 
fered to remain nineteen hours, when it had become rigid, and 
weighed 100^ grains. The specific gravity of the contracted 
limb had increased, as in the crimped fish. 
Six hundred and thirty grains weight of the subscapularis 
muscle of a calf, which had been killed two days from the 
10th of January, was immersed in New River water at 45 0 . 
After ninety minutes, the muscle was contracted, and weighed 
in air 770 grains : it had also increased in specific gravity, but 
the quantity of air-bubbles formed in the interstitial spaces of 
the reticular membrane made it difficult to ascertain the degree. 
Some of the smallest fasciculi of muscular fibres from the 
same veal, which had not been immersed in water, were placed 
on'k glass plate, in the field of a powerful microscope, and 
a drop of water thrown over them, at the temperature of 54 0 , 
the atmosphere in the room being £7°. They instantly began 
to contract, and became tortuous. 
On confining the ends of another fibril with little weights of 
glass, it contracted two-thirds of its former length, by similar 
• I am informed that the crimping of fresh water fishes requires hard water, ot 
such as does not suit the purposes of washing with soap. This fact is substantiated 
by the practice of the London fishmongers, whose experience has taught them to 
employ pump water, or what is commonly called hard water. 
