78 
that albumen is composed of 2 proportions of azote, 
5 oxygene, 9 carbon, 32 hydrogene. 
The principal part of the almond, and of the 
kernels of many other nuts, appears, from the 
experiments of Proust, to be a substance analo- 
gous to coagulated albumen. 
The juice of the fruit of the Ochra ( Hibiscus 
esculentus ), according to Dr. Clarke, contains a 
liquid albumen in such quantities, that it is em- 
ployed in Dominica as a substitute for the white 
of eggs in clarifying the juice of the sugar cane. 
Albumen may be distinguished from other sub- 
stances by its property of coagulating by the 
action of heat or acids, when dissolved in water. 
According to Dr. Bostock, when the solution 
contains only one grain of albumen to 1000 grains 
of water, it becomes cloudy by being heated. 
Albumen is a substance common to the animal 
as well as to the vegetable kingdom, and much 
more abundant in the former. 
5. Gluten may be obtained from wheaten flour 
by the following process : the flower is to be made 
into a paste, which is to be cautiously washed, by 
kneading it under a small stream of water, till the 
water has carried off from it all the starch ; what 
remains is gluten. It is a tenacious, ductile, 
elastic substance. It has no taste. By exposure 
to air, it becomes of a brown colour. It is very 
slightly soluble in cold water ; but not soluble in 
alcohol. When a solution of it in water is heated, 
the gluten separates in the form of yellow flakes ; 
in this respect, it agrees with albumen, but differs 
from it, in being infinitely less soluble in water. 
7 
