Some experiments on the changes which take place in the fixed principles of the egg during incubation.

  • William Prout
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some experiments on the changes which take place in the fixed principles of the egg during incubation. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    The relative proportions of the saline principles of different eggs vary in some instances considerably.* The three fol- lowing are selected from a variety of other analyses as examples: the weight of each egg being reduced for the sake of comparison to 1000 grains. No. i.-f Sulphuric Acid. Phospho- ric Acid. Chlorine. Potash, Soda, and Carb. of Ditto. Lime, Mag- nesia, and Carb. of Ditto. Grains. Grains. Grains. Grains. Grains. Albumen .29 ■45 •94 2.92 .30 Yelk - .21 3-56' •39 .30 .68 Total - .50 i-33 3-42 .98 No. 2. Albumen •13 .46 •93 2-93 •23 Yelk - .06 3-50 .28 .27 .61 Total - .21 3-96 1.21 3.20 .86 * The most remarkable variations occur in the quantities of the sulphuric acid and chlorine. The tables exhibit instances of these, but I have met with still more striking anomalies, for which I was unable to account. I have sometimes thought these differences, as well as some other singular ones observed with respect to the earthy matters, might be connected with the sex of the future bird, but as no proof of this could be obtained, the results have been suppressed, on the supposition that they arose from some error in conducting the experiment. The three analyses given may be considered as average results. It may be also observed, that besides the above principles, iron is met with in almost all products of combustion; and the quantity in the egg, as the process of incubation proceeds, apparently increases considerably; but it was found impossible to ascertain its quantity with any degree of precision. f The numbers in this and the following tables were obtained by calculation. In general, I did not weigh nearer than ^0th of a grain, but as the substances weighed were compounds, it was thought that the calculations of their constituent principles might be safely carried to the second decimal figure.
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