114' Mr. G. Bird on certain new Combinations of Albumen, 



bonate of lime, wliicli occurring simultaneously with the pre- 

 cipitation of albumen appeared to bear so near a relation to 

 cause and effect that there can, I think, no longer remain a 

 doubt as to the solvent nature of carbonic acid with regard to 

 albumen. These experiments prove moreover another inter- 

 esting fact, viz. that however energetic a solvent for albumen 

 the uncombined alkalies may be, their carbonates must be re- 

 garded as comparatively powerless, contrary to the generally 

 received opinion ; for the same quantity of soda must neces- 

 sarily have existed in the fluid after, as before its being sub- 

 jected to the action of the carbonic acid, and subsequently 

 of the hydrogen, the only difference being that it had become 

 converted into a carbonate, whereas before the experiment it 

 was pure and uncombined, quoad carbonic acid. 



7. I was next desirous to ascertain what was the degree of 

 solvent action capable of being exerted on coagulated albu- 

 men by alkaline carbonates, and whether this solvent power 

 depended upon any partial decomposition of the salt em- 

 ployed, the acid or base being set free ; I therefore precipi- 

 tated albumen as belbre from fresh serum by means of alcohol, 

 well washed it with cold distilled water, and divided it into 

 four portions which 1 placed in as many flasks, the first of 

 which was filled up with a solution of bicarbonate of soda, the 

 second with a solution of the carbonate of soda, the third 

 with water impregnated with carbonic acid, and the fourth 

 with recently boiled distilled water; they wei'e allowed to di- 

 gest for twelve hours, and then examined after filtration with 

 the following reagents : 



The water in the fourth flask was used for the purpose of 



