Miss Willcock and Mr Hardy , Preliminary Note, etc. 119 
Preliminary Note upon the Presence of Phosphorus in 
Crystalline Egg Albumin. By Miss E. G. Willcock, N evvnham 
College, and W. B. Hardy, F.R.S., Gonville and Cams College. 
\Received 20 February, 1907.] 
Egg albumin is regarded ordinarily as a proteid which does 
not contain phosphorus in its molecule. 
Both the crude amorphous precipitate, and the crystalline 
form obtained by Hopkins’ method have frequently been analysed, 
but the presence of phosphorus has been mentioned in such 
analyses only by Osborne and Campbell 1 ; in their analysis 
moreover, it figures as being present in the form of associated 
phosphate, rather than as an integral part of the proteid molecule. 
Our investigations show 
(1) that phosphorus is an inalienable constituent of crystalline 
egg albumin, 
(2) that it is present as “organic” phosphorus. 
Therefore, if the crystalline product be a chemical individual, as 
Hopkins 2 urges, it is a truly phosphated proteid. 
The material used by us was prepared by Hopkins’ method, 
that is, by the use of ammonium sulphate and acetic acid. 
Preparations were also used, in which sulphuric acid was sub- 
stituted for the acetic acid. The rotatory power in each case 
accorded well with that given by Hopkins, viz. 30 - 7 and was 
constant throughout many crystallisations. 
The nature of the Phosphorus. 
1. The proteid was rendered insoluble, either by boiling or 
by long treatment with alcohol. The insoluble body was first 
extracted with many changes of water for eleven days, then with 
many changes of alcohol, ground up with ether to a fine powder, 
and finally extracted with three lots of 50 °/ 0 acetic acid at 40°. 
The product was found to contain phosphorus, apparently in 
undiminished amount. Calcic phosphate, similarly treated, dis- 
solved. 
2. A specimen was washed with a slightly acid solution 
of sodium chloride until the washings were free from sulphate. 
It was then dried and washed for many days with specially pure 
distilled water until free from chloride. It was now dried and 
divided into two parts, one of which was ashed in presence of 
potassium nitrate and potassium carbonate, while the other was 
ashed with great care without the addition of salts. In the 
1 Journ. Amer. Ghem. Sue. xxn. 4’22, 1!)00. 
- Journ. of Phi/sioloyij, xxv. oOG, 11)00. 
