Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1886-09-04
WHAT MAKES A MAN.
Solids. Liquids, and Grease which Con-
stituts an Average Human Being.

Solids, Liquids, and Grease which Con-
stitats an Average Human Being.
Suppose man five feet eight inches
high, weighing 154 pounds, had been
passed through the chemists laboratory
and divided and subdivided into his ulti-
mate 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 a man of that weight. If the
ninety-seven pounds Of oxygen were set
free from the body it would fill a space
of 1000 cubic feet. The oxygen is the
great supporter Of combustion in the sys-
tenn.
The next jar represents the fifteen
pounds of hydrogen going to make up
the la-pound man. This amount of by.
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 ill 4S3
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 154-pound man yields one pound
and twelve ounces of phosphorus, and
three-fifth 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 one tenth
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 most
abundantly provided is calcium, the basis
of lime, of which the man, supposed to
have been resolved into his chemical con-
stituents, yielded three pounds and thir-
teen ounces. This is yellowish meta,
and the amount obtained is shown in
tube about three inches high.
A little block of magnesium, a silver
hued metal, weighing ls ounces, and
then 2.S ounces of potassium were taken
from the man, and all that remained was
little quantity Of sodium weighing &c
ounces.
The weight of the chemical elements
in the body of man weighing 154
pounds are summarized on one of the
labels as follows: Oxygen $40 pounds,
carbon 3l.10, hydrogen 1870, nitrogen
1880, calcium $50, phosphorus LIS.
chlorine .25, huorine 30, sulphur .22
potassium .lS, sodium Is, magnesium
IL, iron .0l. Total, 154 pounds.
These elements are chemically com.
bined with each other, forming numer.
Gus compounds, and another series in the
same class represents the results OBJ
tanned by resolving another l54-pound
man into his principal chemical COM
pounds.
First there are two large jars of water,
containing together ninety-six pounds or
forty-six quarts.
Then another large jar represents the
proteine compounds, OF which the man
yielded twenty-four pounds.
The next in order Of quantity are the
fats, weighing twenty three pounds; the
mineral salts, weighing ten pounds thir-
teen ounces. and the carbohydrates,
starch and sugar, weighing three
ounces.
Among the proteine compounds APP
pears homoglobin, the red coloring mat
ter of the blood. and which serves TO
carry and distribute the oxygen from
the lungs to the different parts of the
body.
Two little walls contain protagon and
lecithin. substances found in the brain,
spinal cord and nerves.
There is pound of carbonate of lime,
eight and one-half ounces of phosphate
of lime, seven ounces of fluoride of CAL
cium, six ounces of phosphate of mag
nesia, six ounces of chloride of sodium,
five ounces Of chloride Of potassium
that exhausted the man with which the
chemist started.-Scientific Exchange.