77 
with this article from the West India islands, pro- 
posals were made for applying it as the food of 
cattle ; experiments had been instituted, which 
proved that they might be fattened by it: but 
difficulties connected with the duties laid on sugar 
prevented the plan from being tried to any extent. 
4. Albumen is a substance which has only lately 
been discovered in the vegetable kingdom. It 
abounds in the juice of the Papaw-tree ( Carica 
papaya) : when this juice is boiled, the albumen 
falls down in a coagulated state. It is likewise 
found in mushrooms, and in different species of 
funguses. 
Albumen, in its pure form, is a thick, glairy, 
tasteless fluid ; precisely the same as the white of 
the egg ; it is soluble in cold water ; its solution, 
when not too diluted, is coagulated by boiling, 
and the albumen separates in the form of thin 
flakes. Albumen is likewise coagulated by acids 
and by alcohol : a solution of albumen gives a pre- 
cipitate when mixed with a cold solution of nut- 
galls. Albumen, when burnt, produces a smell 
of volatile alkali, and affords carbonic acid and 
water ; it is therefore evidently principally com- 
posed of carbon, hydrogene, oxygene, and azote. 
According to the experiments of Gay Lussac 
and Thenard, 100 parts of albumen from the white 
of the egg are composed of 
Carbon - - 52,883 
Oxygene - - 23,8^2 
Hydrogene - - 7>54Q 
Azote - - 15,705 
This estimation would authorise the supposition. 
