Section 70. the Matrix of Bone Differs From That of Cartilage or of

most other tissues in consisting chiefly of inorganic salts. The chief of these is calcium phosphate, with which much smaller quantities of calcium carbonate, and magnesium phosphate and carbonate occur. These inorganic salts can be removed by immersion of the bone in weak hydrochloric acid, and a flexible network of connecting tissue, Haversian vessels, bone corpuscles, and their processes remains. This is decalcified bone alluded to above.