672 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No. 15 
Table I .—Percentage of total nitrogen in meat 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
Calf No. 
Age of 
calf 
when 
killed. 
Days. 
7 
5 
6 
5 
5 
3 
7 
4 
4 
4 
Average. 
Number of determinations 
averaged... 
Fresh. 
Dried in vacuum 
desiccator. 
Dried in hot-water 
oven. 
Beef. 
Veal. 
Beef. 
Veal. 
Beef. 
Veal. 
Per cent. 
3 - 45 
3-49 
3*51 
3. 60 
3 * 59 
3-53 
(a) 
3 - 34 
3-43 
3 - 38 
Per cent. 
3 - 33 
‘ 3.18 
3 * 2 4 
3. 00 
3-40 
2 - 95 
3. 12 
2. 97 
3 - 17' 
3 - 07 
Per cent. 
12. 67 
13 - 56 
14. 62 
i 3 - 23 
14.40 
12. 60 
Per cent. 
14. 03 
13. 86 
13. 04 
13. 26 
14. 41 
i 3 * 55 
Per cent. 
11. 78 
13-65 
14. 26 
13. 42 
14. 47 
13 - 52 
Per cent. 
14. 65 
14.03 
13-37 
13. 60 
15. 12 
I 3 * 74 
13 - 13 
13. 82 
13-49 
i 3 - 5 o 
13 - 58 
13. 61 
r 3 - 78 
13. 92 
13 - 67 
14. 16 
13- 76 
14.25 
3 - 48 
3 - 14 
13 - 50 
13 - 65 
13. 6l 
14. 08 
24 
24 
18 
18 
l8 
18 
a Skim-milk sample 2 was used instead of beef (see p. 695). 
The figures for total nitrogen in dried meats (last four columns of 
Table I) were calculated back to the fresh basis for comparison with the 
figures obtained directly on the same samples of fresh meat, with the 
average results given in Table II. 
Table II .—Average percentage of total nitrogen in meat {dried meat calculated to fresh 
\ basis) 
Meat. 
Fresh. 
Dried in 
vacuum desic¬ 
cator. 
Dried in hot- 
water oven. 
Beef. 
Per cent. 
3 - 48 
3 - 14 
Per cent. 
3*46 
3 * i 5 
Per cent. 
3 - 46 
3 - 19 
Veal. 
It is apparent from Table II that the meats lost no nitrogen during the 
drying. (For the method of drying, see p. 683.) Benedict and Man¬ 
ning (1905, p. 312) found that “these meats [beef, chicken], therefore, 
after heating at ioo° in a water oven lost from 4 to 7 per cent of the 
total nitrogen present.” They quote similar observations by other 
investigators. What is important in this connection is not the mere loss 
of a small amount of nitrogen, which could be easily replaced in a diet, 
but the possibility that the lost nitrogen was present in the form of vola¬ 
tile amins, as suggested by Atwater (1895, p. 43). Some amins are very 
poisonous, and the presence of even small amounts of such bodies in 
immature veal would constitute a valid objection to its use. Although 
looked for, losses of nitrogen in the dried-meat samples were not observed. 
There may be two reasons for this: (1) The meats used were not decom- 
