TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 139 



thumb, a more intricate nervous plexus for the combination and separation of 

 nervous influence, more easy to suppose in its details than to prove ; the general 

 arrangement of the body and the relations of trunk and limbs account for other 

 differences, as the course of the vessels. How these modifications in the instance 

 of limbs, and generally in natm-e, are brought about seems a mystery : it is allow- 

 able to doubt whether it is either by the gradual modifying action of external 

 influences or by natural selection, or both together ; and also allowable to believe 

 that a species remains for ever the same till destroyed by adverse circiuustances, 

 and becoming the progenitor of other species by some unlcnowu law of progression 

 or development, connected probably with reproduction, and causing their sudden 

 rather than gradual advent on the earth. 



Albumen and its Transformation into Fibrin by the Arjency of Water. 

 By John Goodman, M.D. 



The author asserted that albumen is known as the pabulum vitcs, a substance into 

 which all foods are said to be transformed by the digestive process. It is denominated 

 the " raw material " from which all organic animal structures are ultimately formed, 

 and abounds in the sanguineous and lymphatic systems. Yet albumen is not capable 

 of giving general nutriment unless it be first transformed into organized mate- 

 rial. Now that organized substance is fibrin. It is formed out of and at the 

 expense of the existing albiunen, and composes the white corpuscles of the lymph- 

 and blood- and chyliferous vessels, and is found to constitute almost the entire 

 mass of the organism. It supplies waste of tissue, is employed in the nutrition, 

 growth, and reparation of the organism and in the reproduction of the species, and 

 is vitally necessary for the performance of all the functions of the body. The trans- 

 formation, therefore, of albumen into fibrin is a process of essential importance in 

 tlie sustentation and maintenance of vitality itself; as necessary, indeed, as is the 

 transformation of the inorganized substances of nature into the organized pro- 

 ducts of the vegetable kingdom, for the supply and sustenance of man and animals. 

 Although this transformation is of such vital import, and these two substances are 

 evidently dissimilar in their appearance and character, hitherto chemical science 

 has been imable to discover any very clear and satisfactory distinction in their 

 elementary composition ; nor can the most able physiologist more than guess at 

 the mode and means by which fibrin is developed in the animal organism. 



Under a cognizance of these facts the author instituted some time ago a series 

 of experiments having a special bearing upon these important questions. 



Exp. 1. A portion of albumen from the egg was suspended in ropes in a glass vessel 

 filled with pure water. 



Exp. 2. Another similar portion was suspended in sea-water. 



Exp. 3. The albumen was arranged in dilute alcohol. 



Exp. 4. The albumen was suspended in the atmosphere ; and in each instance the 

 substance was left to stand for a period of from twelve to twenty-four hours or 

 more. 



In No. 4, after the period stated, the only observable change which had taken 

 place was the evaporation of the water of its fluidity, and the formation of a brittle 

 and still transparent rod. 



In Nos. 2 and .3 a slight change only was perceptible, a very thin, flimsy, and 

 almost transparent veil being seen to surround the suspended albumen. 



In No. 1, however, in a very short space of time, a beautiful opaque tohite veil 

 began to make its appearance upon the entire surface of the albumeu, and bubbles 

 of gas were seen to oe eliminated. The albumen yradually cxchanyed its simple, 

 yranular, transimrent, and komoyeneous ap])carance for that of an opaqtie white, 

 jftbrom, and oryanized formation, as seen by the aid of a microscope or powerful lens. 

 Beautiful Jibi-inoas threads of the most delicate construction tvere seen shootiny forth 

 in various directions and clinyiny to contiyuous objects ; and idtimately the entire sub- 

 stance under the microscope was found to consist of striated bundles of threads or 

 Jihrillce, resembling spun glass. ('Specimens were placed upon the table.) 



Any physiologist witnessing this product would be unable to pronounce it to be 



