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XXVI. Supplement to former Paper, entitled—Experimental Inquiry into the 
Composition oj some of the Animals Fed and Slaughtered as Human Food .”— 
Composition of the Ash of the entire Animals , and of certain separated parts. 
By Sir John Bennet Lawes, Bart., LL.D., F.R.S., F.C.S., and 
Joseph Henry Gilbert, Pli.D., LL.D., F.P.S., V.P.C.S. 
Received June 13,—Read June 21, 1883. 
In our former paper (Phil. Trans., Part II., 1859), we considered the analytical results 
which had then been obtained illustrating the actual and comparative composition of 
certain collective portions, and of the entire bodies, of animals of the farm, of different 
descriptions, and in different stages of growth and fatness. The results were given 
relating to ten animals, namely-—a fat calf, a half-fat ox, a fat ox, a fat lamb, a store 
sheep, a half-fat old sheep, a fat sheep, a very fat sheep, a store pig, and a fat pig. 
The constituents which had been determined were—the total fat (by melting, expres¬ 
sion, and ether-extraction), the total nitrogen, and the total mineral matter (ash). 
These were given in detail for certain separated parts, and in summary for all those 
parts collectively which are usually classed by the butcher as “ carcass,” for all those 
collectively classed as “ offal,” and for the entire animal (fasted live-weight). At that 
time the analyses of the ashes of the different animals, and their separated parts, were 
not completed. It is the object of this supplementary paper to record the results of 
forty complete ash-analyses, and to indicate their connexion with the main inquiry, 
and their importance as an element of it. To do this it will be desirable in the first 
place briefly to summarise the results and conclusions previously given. 
From the data above referred to, the composition of some of the separated parts, and 
of the entire bodies, of the ten animals was given, so far as the total mineral matter, 
the total nitrogenous substance, the total fat, the total dry substance, and the water 
are concerned. 
From these results the composition of the increase in weight, during the fattening 
period, of numerous animals was estimated. Also, in numerous cases in which the 
amount and the composition of the food consumed had been determined, the relation 
of the constituents stored up in the increase to those so consumed was calculated. 
Finally, the relation of the non-nitrogenous, or non-flesh forming, to the nitrogenous 
constituents in animal food and in bread was compared. 
For the study of the subject from a more physiological point of view, the actual 
weights, and the percentage proportion in the entire body, of the individual organs, and 
