Flesh. While in common parlance the term flesh is applied to those parts of the body composed of muscular tissue (see MUSCLE), it is now, in physiological language, used as a term including all the living protoplasmic matter of the body which has a chemical composition closely resembling that of muscle. This use of the word (Fleisch) we owe chiefly to the Munich school of physiologists, who have done so much to advance our knowledge of the chemical changes in the tissues. In such investigations the terms loss of 'flesh,' gain of 'flesh,' &c. are to be understood in this inclusive sense.
This flesh has something of the following composition:
| Water..... | 75 | per cent. |
| Solids..... | 25 | " |
| Inorganic..... | 1 | " |
| Organic..... | 24 | " |
| Proteids..... | 16-19 | " |
| (Nitrogen)..... | 3-4 | " |