TO PROFESSOR LINUS PAULING
FROM J. E. LEONARD
DATE: 3-29-52
SUBJECT The X-ray examination of muscle samples, numbers 1-176 from the mussel Mytilus
Edulis and the rock scallop Rhinites.
1. Mytilus Edulis {Samples 1-69)
All of the samples yielded the characteristic α-keratin type diffraction pattern,
with a strong equatorial spot at 9-10 A. and a sharp, well defined meridional arc
at 5 A. Some samples appeared to be better oriented than others, but no additional
details, indicative of higher crystallinity, were observed in the patterns.
Long spacings on the meridian of 19.5, 22.3, 24.4, 28.1, 31.9, 37.0, 48.4, 57.9, and
73.3 Å were observed on sample number 37 using the 15 cm. (flat film) vacuum camera,
and the meridional spacing 1.52 + 0.01 Å was measured using the 2.865 cm. (Weissenberg)
cylindrical camera.
2. Rhinites (Samples 70-176)
These samples displayed the sense α-keratin type small spacing diffraction pattern
as was observed on those of Mytilus Edulis above. The orientation of the fibers was,
in general, poorer than that of the former samples, and again no indication of higher
crystallinity was obtained. No attempt was made to observe the long spacings on Rhinites
muscle.
John E. Leonard
