The mineral constituents of bone

Abstract

Immediately after birth there is a decrease in salt content of the diaphysis in pups and kittens. This decrease is most marked in the cancellous tissue. This period must be avoided in any exps. designed to test a decalcifying or recalcifying agent. Later the Ca content of the cortex rises slowly, but in the cancellous bone it displays irregularity and remains low in the kitten, while rising slowly in the pup. In kittens, the difference between femur and humerus is very slight, there is a slower rate of growth in the latter. In temporary tissues such as calcified cartilage, the carbonate is always low relative to the Ca, but its proportion increases in the tissues which are destroyed more slowly. In the bone of the adult cat and dog, the proportion of carbonate to Ca approaches that of dahlite.