ALBUMEN. 331 



This is one of the causes that has given rise to the various and 

 frequently contradictory statements abounding in chemical litera- 

 ture, in reference to the individual properties of albumen. Albu- 

 men obtained indiscriminately from various sources ought, there- 

 fore, not to be employed for qualitative chemical experiments, 

 but we should first obtain albumen in a state of the greatest pos- 

 sible chemical purity, and we may then ascertain the modifications 

 experienced in its properties and reactions by the admixture of 

 different substances in different proportions ; for striking differences 

 are produced in albumen, not merely by the presence of another body, 

 but by the different proportions in which it occurs. Scherer* and 

 myselff were the first to investigate the properties of albumen in 

 this point of view, but although we may have succeeded in eluci- 

 dating some few individual points, no perfect and scientifically 

 conclusive results have been attained; and notwithstanding our in- 

 vestigations, experiments have been subsequently made on albumen, 

 containing various admixtures and taken at random from any 

 sources. We shall in this place limit our remarks to the most 

 important and general relations of albumen, lest, by introducing 

 too many details, we should obscure and confuse our general 

 survey. If even slight admixtures are capable of modifying the pro- 

 perties of albumen, we may readily comprehend how much more 

 powerfully they may be affected by chemical changes, even if 

 small, in the grouping or arrangement of the atoms. We know 

 that some kinds of albumen vary in the quantity of sulphur 

 they contain, and others again in their saturating capacity, but 

 these are relations which require further investigation for their 

 complete solution. 



We purpose adhering to the old classification, and considering 

 albumen in its soluble and coagulated states. 



Soluble albumen, dried in the air, forms a pale yellowish, 

 translucent mass, which may be easily triturated and reduced to 

 a white powder. The specific weight of the albumen of the hen's 

 egg, from which the salts had not been removed, was found by C. 

 Schmidt} to be 1*3144 ; after calculating for the elimination the salts, 

 the density of pure albumen was found to be 1-2617. It becomes 

 positively electric by friction, and is devoid of smell, taste, and reac- 

 tion on vegetable colours. It swells in water, assuming a gelatinous 

 appearance, does not dissolve freely in pure water, but very readily 



* Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 40, S. 1-65, and Untersuch. zu Pathol. S/82 ff. 

 t Arch. f. physiol. Heilk. Bd. 1, S. 234. 

 J Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 61. S. 156-167. 



