The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-07-20

YOU CAN BUY THEM ALL IN ANY FIRST
CLASS DRUG STORE.

GLASS DRUG . OhE-
Z Scientific Analysis of the Chem
fcaI Compounds of Which II Human
Body III Mnde--Man When Reduced
to Water, Powders and Gns.
You can go to \ drug store and buy
all the materials to make man. If
the reader does not care to incur the
expense of purchasing the materials
with which to make a man 1t may at
least be interesting TO study the chem
icai composition of the human body as
exhibited at the National Museum.
This will personally appeal to the man
who is five feet eight inches high and
weighs 154 pounds, as the exhibit at
the museum represents the elements
and their quantities in the body or an
average healthy man of that height
and weight. These compounds are
pIaccd in a glass case, the collection
consisting Of thirtytwO bottles, Jars
and boxes, labeled and set on shelves.
Nan does not show to advantage
when reduced to water, powders and
gas, but he Is worth attention not only
from a scientific viewpoint, but as
moral lesson. The chemical compounds
OF which our bodies are made up are
shown by analysis to consist mainly OF
thirteen elements. Five of these when
uncombined with other elements are
the gases oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen,
chlorine and fluorne. The remaining
eight are solid substances, three or
which are nonmetals-carbon, phos-
phate and sulphur-while the other nVe
are metals-iron, calcium, magnesium,
potass!um and sodium. Besides these
thirteen elements are minute quaAu-
ties of few others, as silicon, manga
nese and copper. This scientific analy-
sis differs radically from tss nurse lore
theory that bOys-and presumably men
are made of snaps and snails ana
buddy dog tails" and can be relied on
as an official table of your contents,
provided you are Il man of 1o4 POUNDS.
The inspector of the museums ex-
hibit on man first takes note OF jar
OF reddish powder. The label tells
one that 1t IS phosphorus, OF which
person contains pound and a naII.
The specimen owes it's lurid hue to
long exposure. In its natural state II
ia soft, waXy and SO infiammable that
to prevent spontaneous combustion II
L. preserved under water. United with
oxygen it forms phOsphoric acid, which
In turn combined with calcium, as
phosphate of lime, is an important con-
stituent of bone. Phosphorus also oc-
ours in the brain and nerves. Next
to the Jar is chunk of sulphur the
size of an egg. 1t IS found in various
parts of the body, notably in the bones
and teeth. The next bottle contains
what looks to be cents worth of
darning needles. 1t represents one
tenth OF an ounce Of iron, an impor-
tant constituent of the red coloring
matter of blood.
The visitor next learns that his body
includes three pounds and thirteen
ounces of calcium, which incidentally
may explain any laundering he may
have for the limelight. This calcium
Is a yellowish metal, somewhat harder
than lead. 1t Is the basis Of lime and
occurs throughout the body, principal
" as bones and teeth, In the form of
phosphate.
On another jar one reads: Potassium,
n soft metal, easily cut with knife
and showing Il silver white luster.
When thrown on water it decomposes
the water, combining with the oxygen
with such avidity that the hydrogen,
set free, takes fire. 1t Is the basis Of
potash and occurs IN the body prin-
cipally as chloride and phosphate"
Naturally you know this must all be
so. but appearances are against 1t.
The specimen does not in the least
look like IA soft metal with a silver
white luster." 1t is the living Image
OF two pounds of shop worn dates, the
appearance Of it being due to exposure
no doubt.
In 154 pound human body are nine
ty-seven pounds of oxygen, which
would If set free fill space Of nearly
1000 cubic feet The body also carries
fifteen pounds Of hydrogen, which If
allowed to escape would fill u CORE
spending area. One should be partic-
ularly glad to know about this gas
because 1t explains where spellbinders
get their supplies The specimens OF
these gases are compressed in big
glass jars that look sweaty inside, but
otherwise are apparently empty. lily
drogen, like carbon, is burned in the
body by uniting with oxygen, thus
serving as fuel. The water produced
is given off In the respiration through
the lungs and as perspiration through
the skin.
On the bottom shelf, along with Other
specimens, Is a tin box containing thir
ty-one pounds of anthracite coal. II
represents that amount Of carbon in s
human body. Carbon combines will
oxygen. In this combination heat an(
force are generated and carbOnic aciC
gas formed. The carbon taken in thu
body In food is burned In this way by
the oxygen of the inhaled air, yielding
heat to keep the body warm and force
muscular strength for work. The car
bonic acid gas Is given out by the lung
and skin. Carbon thus serves as fue
for the body and is its most importan
fuel element.
Then there are the fats, twenty-five
and one-fourth pounds out Of 154. Hu
man fat consists of Stearin, palmitaI
and olein, with varying portions in diff
ferent parts. On Il card may be read
1.-The so called complex fats, protagon
lecithin, cerebrin and others, resemble
the neutral fats. The quantity Is no
definitely known, but Is supposed t
amount to about twelve ounces. Thes
fats are very difficult to obtain. AM
only small specimens are shown, wit
special labels. They occur chiefly il
the brain, spinal cord and nerves
though found In other parts"