=ALBU′MEN.= [Eng., L.] _Syn._ ALBUMIN; ALBUMINE, Fr.; EIWEISS, EIWEISTOFF, Ger. Literally, the white of egg; a peculiar nitrogenous substance which enters largely into the composition of animal bodies. It abounds in the blood, muscles, bones, coagulable lymph, vitreous and crystalline humour of the eye, fluid of dropsy, &c. The white of egg consists of nearly pure albumen dissolved in water. A substance identical with albumen is found in many vegetables. It enters largely into the composition of all the emulsive seeds. According to Seguin, it exists in considerable quantity in all those vegetables and fruits that afford a vinous liquor without the addition of yeast. _Prep._ The white of egg and the serum of blood, when strained through muslin, furnish albumen, in solution, in a sufficiently pure state for all the ordinary purposes of the arts. Pure solid albumen may be prepared as follows:—— 1. Agitate strained white of egg with 10 or 12 times its bulk of alcohol, collect the precipitated flocculi on a muslin filter, and suffer it to dry at a temperature not exceeding 120° Fahr. 2. Add a little water to white of egg, mix, filter, exactly neutralise with acetic acid, and then largely dilute with pure cold water; the precipitate which falls may be collected on a filter and washed. Strained serum of blood may be used instead of white of egg, in both the above forms. _Comp._, _&c._ The following is the composition of albumen according to Lieberkühn:—— Carbon 53·3 Hydrogen 7·1 Nitrogen 15·7 Oxygen 22·1 Sulphur 1·8 ---- 100·0 Chatin found iodine in the white of egg; it also contains chloride, sulphate, phosphate, and carbonate of sodium, phosphate of calcium, and traces of potassium in it; but, unlike the sulphur, none of these substances form a constituent part of pure albumen, though probably always present in white of egg.