Froiein — Alhnminoids 59 



conies a hard, white, coagiihited mass. Albumin in 

 the serous fluids and in blood is called serum -albumin, 

 in milk, lact-albumin and in eggs, ova-albumin. 



A small proportion of the proteids of plants is 

 found to be albumin; for instance, Osborne found .6 

 per cent in wheat, .43 per cent in rjT, .3 per cent in 

 barley, .5 per cent in soja beans, and some in most 

 seeds. This possesses essentially the same characters 

 as the animal albumin described previously. Whenever 

 a vegetable substance is leached with water, it is prob- 

 ably this proteid which would be the first to suffer 

 removal or destructive fermentation. 



(2) The globulins. It is fully recognized that when 

 plant and animal tissues are treated with water but a 

 small part of the proteids dissolve. If, however, we 

 add to the water a mineral salt, especially common salt 

 (sodium chloride), sufficient to secure a 10 per cent 

 solution, an additional and considerable amount of al- 

 buminoids is extracted. These compounds are called 

 globulins and differ from the albumins in being insolu- 

 ble in pure water and in a saturated solution of certain 

 mineral salts, such as sodium chloride. The globulins 

 form an important part of the proteid content of plants 

 and of animal tissues, both in quantity and in having 

 a maximum nutritive usefulness. 



In plants these proteids seem to be especially abun- 

 dant and widespread. Our best and most recent knowl- 

 edge on this point comes from investigations conducted 

 in the laboratory of the Connecticut Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station, chiefly by Osborne. In these re- 

 searches the seeds of fifteen species of agricultural 



