Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-11-26
WHAT MAKES A MAN.
'"iijs, Liquids. and Grease which Con-
stitute an Average Human Being.

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Suppose man five feet eight inches
'igh. weighing 154 pounds, had been
passed through the chemists laboratory
and divided and subdivided into his ulti-
nate elements
Five of these are gases and eight solid
substances. The oxygen is shown in a
jar with label which states that the
weight of oxygen in man weighing $50
pounds is ninety-seven pounds. The jar,
which will hold about gallon, repre-
sents only one ten thousandth part of the
oxygen of man Of that weight. If the
ninety-seven pounds of oxygen were set
free from the body it would fill space
of 1000 cubic feet. The oxygen is the
great supporter of combustion in the sys-
tenn.
Tie next jar represents the fifteen
pounds of hydrogen going TO make up
the ia pound man. This amount of ny
drogen set free would fill 1850 cubic
feet, and the jar represents only one ten
thousandth of the whole amount.
Another Jar or bottle, having a capac-
ity of little over quart, represents
the three pounds and thirteen ounces OF
nitrogen found in the imaginary man.
This nitrogen, if free, would fill 4S.3
cubic feet
Another small bottle contains, COM
bined with calcium, the 3.5 ounces of
fluorine.
Another jar contains one tenth of the
four ounces of chlorine to be found in
the man. Chlorine is one of the consti-
tuents of bleaching powder. After the
jar of chlorine was put in the case the
stopper was blown out and the gas
bleached all the tinted labels in the case.
The carbon is represented by solid
cube of charcoal weighing thirty-one
pounds.
The l5i-pound man yields one pound
and twelve ounces of phosphorus, and
three-ti nth ounces of sulphur
After the gases, the carbon. the phos-
phorus and sulphur have been extracted
from the man there is nothing left OF
him but metals.
First there is iron, of which the
average man described carries e-tent
of an ounce in his system. This quantity
is shown in the exhibit in the form Of
iron wire.
The metal with which the body is mos
abundantly provided is calcium, the basis
of lime, of which the man, supposed tc
have been resolved into his chemical con
stituents, yielded three pounds and thir
teen ounces. This is yellowish metal
and the amount obtained is shown in
tube about three inches high.
A little block of magnesium, a silver
hued metal, weighing 1.9 ounces, ant
then 2.S ounces of potassium were takel
from the man, and all that remained wa
Il little quantity of sodium weighing 3.
ounces.
The weight of the chemical elements
in the body of man weighing 10
pounds are summarized on one of tin
labels as follows: Oxygen 81. 20 pounds
carbon 81. 10, hydrogen 1920, nitrogen
1880, calcium $780, phosphorus La
chlorine .25, fluorine %, sulphur .22
potassium 10, sodium TO-, magnesium
IL, iron Oh Total, 154 pounds.
!, These elements are chemically con
bined with each other, forming numei
Gus compounds and another series in til
same class represents the results oil
; tanned 10y resolving another 154-poun
> man into his principal chemical con
pounds
L First there are two large jars of waite
containing together ninetysix pounds G
forty-six quarts.
Then another large jar represents tn
: proteine compounds, of which the ma
. yielded twenty-four pounds.
The next in order of quantity are til
fats, weighing twenty three pounds; TIL
mineral salts, weighing ten pounds thi
teen ounces. and the carbohydrates
. starch and sugar, weighing thre
ounces.
Among the proteine compounds al
:. pears homoglobin, the red coloring ma
ter of the blood and which serves t
= carry and distribute the oxygen froi
= the lungs to the different parts of I'll
body.
. Two little walls contain protagon an
lecithin. substances found in the brail
= spinal cord and nerves.
There is pound of carbonate of lin
; eight and one-half ounces of phospha
of lime, seven ounces of fluoride of ca
> cium, six ounces of phosphate of ma
:, nesia, six ounces of chloride of sodium
= five ounces of chloride of potassium
that exhausted the man with which Il
. chemist started.-Scientific Exchange.