SECT. 8] 



CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM 



1009 



mucoid for 1-5 hours with 5 per cent, hydrochloric acid. Moreover 

 his ratio varied from i-o to 2-4, which suggests that the hydrolysis 

 was incomplete. It is significant that Bywaters' ovomucoid glucose 

 values are highest between the 7th and 13th days, though their 

 absolute values are at least 50 per cent, higher than mine. The second 

 interpretation of the behaviour of the ovomucoid fraction receives 

 some support from the work of Komori and of Levene & Rothen; for 

 they have found the sugar to be combined with the protein as a 

 polysaccharide. Further work on the constitution of ovomucoid and 

 the changes which it undergoes during development is much needed. 



Table 128. Bywaters' figures. 



Ratio : Grams uncoagulable pro- 

 tein nitrogen per loo gm. egg- 

 white (wet) /grams coagulable 

 protein nitrogen per lOO gm. 

 egg-white (wet) 



0-I7 



0-I2 

 0-15 



o-i6 



0-I2 



o-i6 

 0-14 

 o-ii 



0-13 



0-I2 

 0-15 

 O-IO 



0-13 



Day 

 o 



0-I2 



o-i8 



Average ... 0-136 



0-78 



•29 



In 1927, I estimated the amount of ovomucoid in the egg-white 

 during incubation, and also the percentage of glucose in the ovo- 

 mucoid molecule. The percentage of the whole egg accounted for 

 by the white descended from 21 to o per cent. The ovomucoid 

 isolated in milHgrams per Qgg fell from 1 28 to 4. Although a quantita- 

 tive recovery of ovomucoid was not claimed (and indeed these figures 

 are lower than those of Komori (see Fig. 273)), yet, as the same care 

 was used throughout, it is probable that they have relative signi- 

 ficance. When they are expressed as percentage of the wet weight of 

 egg-white, it is interesting to note that the amount of ovomucoid 



