On adipocire, and its formationWetherill, Charles Mayer
Science
On adipocire, and its formation
Wetherill, Charles Mayer
Adipocere; Fatty acids; Postmortem changes
No. 1, (the melting point of which was 57.5°, the solidifying point
52°) was melted with an equal weight of alcohol, and on cooling,
filtered and pressed; a very dark liquid ran through, a drop of which,
evaporated on a glass slide, gave dendritic, stellate, polarizable
crystals. To the residue weighing 177 grammes, 100 grammes of
alcohol were added, and the fat which separated, together with some
depositing from the last filtrate by standing, were added to the
fat of the previous operation; the fat which separated from this
solution of 177 grammes, melted at 59°-60°, and solidified at 53°-54°.
The dark-coloured alcoholic liquid, filtered from these fats, was
saponified by an alcoholic solution of potassa; the alcohol expelled
by boiling with water, and after transferring to a retort, was boiled
with sulphuric acid. The distilled water, examined for volatile fatty
acids, gave negative results. The fat was very dark in colour, melted
at 55°, and solidified at 50°, though it was difficult to determine
these points exactly, as the change exhibited itself very gradually. A
portion of this fat was converted into a potassa salt, and precipitated
by chloride of barium; the filtrate from which, treated with
hydrochloric acid, gave a small quantity of a yellow fat, not further
examined.
The baryta salts were treated by ether, and the residue by boiling
alcohol. The ethereal, alcoholic solutions, and the residue, were
severally decomposed by hydrochloric acid. The ethereal solution gave
a small quantity of oleic acid, in very dark drops. The alcoholic
solution fat was also small in quantity, and dark. It fused at 61°-62°,
and solidified, as well as could be judged, at 45°. The residual fat,
which was the largest in quantity, yellow, and of a waxy surface,
melted at 43°-46°, and solidified at 45°-40°.
The purification of fat No. 2, was now undertaken, and experimented
upon more particularly than No. 1, since this specimen of adipocire
conformed to the shape of part of the human frame.
1^o. An equal weight of alcohol was added, and the fat, which weighed
644 grammes, was dissolved by heat; on cooling it was pressed, and as
the filtrate deposited more fat on standing, it was pressed again, and
the fat added to the former. The dark-coloured filtrate was bottled,
and the fat melted. It was of smooth and waxy surface, and weighed 511
grammes.
2^o. The fat from 1^o was melted with 170 alcohol, and the same
operation performed. Residue weighed 327 grammes.
3^o. Added 124 alcohol to this fat. In this all the liquor was absorbed
by the pressing cloths; the fat weighed 335 grammes.
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