It may be of interest to give the figures used in the preceding lines in tabular form.

Limed skinPuered skin
Density of wet skin

1

·063

1

·053
Per cent. of water found

80

·63

78

·2
  "   "  calculated

79

·50

79

·9
  "  of ash on wet skin

1

·71

1

·17
  "  of fat "  "

0

·151

2

·6
Density of dry ash-free skin substance

1

·3970

1

·3356

In addition to the diminution of the density of the skin by puering, the increase of fat is very marked.

The percentage of water referred to the wet skin may be calculated from the formula

v2v1/1 – v1 × 100

where v1 = specific volume of the dry skin.
v2 = specific volume of the wet skin.

The specific volume of the dry skin (v1) may be calculated from the specific volume of the wet skin (v2), the percentage of water (w) being known by the following formula:—

v1 = v2w/100,
1 – w/100

and by comparing the volume thus obtained with the volume determined by direct experiment, the amount of contraction is ascertained. In the case we have been considering (viz. limed skin with 80 per cent. water)

v2 calculated= 0·955
v2 found= 0·941