white of an egg. For its nature, origin, and office, see Egg.

The white of an egg, according to Boerhaave, makes an extraordinary menstruum. Being boiled hard in the shell, and afterwards suspended in the air by a thread, it resolves and drops down into an insipid, scentless liquor, which appears to be that anomalous unaccountable menstruum so much used by Paracelsus; and will, though it contain nothing sharp, oleaginous, or fapaceous, make a thorough solution of myrrh; which is more than either water, oil, spirits, or even fire itself, can effect.

A little putrid white of egg taken into the stomach, occasions a nausea, horror, fainting, vomiting, diarrhoea, and gripes; it inflames the bile, excites heat, thirst, fever; and dissolves the humours like the plague. On the contrary, the white of fresh-laid eggs, if taken while warm from the hen, is extremely nourishing to the infant; it may be taken in luke-warm milk; but if any other heat is applied to it, the nutritious quality will be destroyed. The fresh white of egg prevents burns from rising in blisters, if it is used immediately after the accident; it mitigates inflammations of the eyes, and preserves the face from sun-burning. In pharmacy, it is used as a medium to render balsams and turpentine, &c. miscible with aqueous fluids; but as it disagrees with many stomachs when thus taken, a mucilage of gum arabic may supply its place, it being as good a medium in similar circumstances, and not apt to offend the tenderest stomack. — Whites of eggs are also useful for clarifying liquors; to which purpose, being mixed and incorporated with the liquors to be clarified, and the whole afterwards boiled, the whites of eggs are by this means brought together and hardened, and thus carry off the gross parts of the liquor along with them.