ALBUMEN

A peculiar animal matt i Into the composition of animal bi | lood, muscles, bones. . al o the chief component of white ol egg, to which the term albumen was originally applied, ami which well ami familiarly illustrates iis leading pi culi nam i ly, thai at a certain temperature II Into a son while solid, no longer soluble in water. It may i lalned pure by coagulating ihe while of i b! "tad. washing it thoroughly with that fluid, ami then carefully drying il at 120°. if then appears as a yellow, shll transparent and brittle substance, compost Nitrogen - i atom = 1 1 15 05 Oarbon.... 8 =-\- Hydrogen.... 7 =7 Oxygen - • - - 3 =24 l The albumen of birds' eggs coagulates at a temperature ol 14;")° to 166°; and when dried, shrinks and becomes brittle and semitransparent, In all respects resembling horn. One hundred parts of the albumen ol the hi upon ill drying, about Ml of water, ami lea 1 reel due. Alcohol) most Of the acids, and several metallic salts, also coagulate albumen, and some of the latti very delicate tests of its presence In animal flul late oi lead, for Instance, renders a soliu ion oi one part ol fresh white of egg in 2000 of water turbid, so that ltd i mate1 part I sol also dry an albumen excellent in 10,000test of of albumen,water. foi( '..,m white insoluble compound; hence whil proposed as an antidote in cases of pol sublime Albumen, a solid fleshy, bony, or horn) substance, secreted iii some seeds between the embryo and the skin. II is supposed to he intended for llie nutriment of the j oung embryo wh«>n il into life The pan that furnishes the flour ol corn, ihe flesh of th eat ma of the sei d nlsts have remarked thai tins substance is never i riO US,borne. however poisonous llie plant may he b) win. [s. 42]