Dr. Playfair on Palmic Acid, 479 



In 100 Parts. 

 Carbon. . . . 58-04 34 2550 57*86 



Hydrogen . . 9-09 33 400 9*08 



Oxygen ... 11-42 5 500 11-35 



Barytes . . . 21-45 1 957 21*71 



100-00 4407 100-00 



Palmic Mther. — This aether was prepared by dissolving 

 hydrated palmic acid in hot alcohol and then passing through 

 the solution a stream of hydrochloric acid gas. Water is 

 then added, and the aether washed with hot water. When the 

 aether is thoroughly washed, the water is allowed to cool, and 

 the aether solidifies into a crystalline mass which is easily 

 removed. It fuses "at 61° F., and is very soluble in hot alco- 

 hol, but sparingly so in cold. Burned with oxide of copper 

 it gave the following results : — 



I. 0-126 grm. substance gave 0-335 carbonic acid, and 

 0-1385 water. 



II. 0*070 grm. substance gave 0-1855 carbonic acid, and 

 0-076 water. 



III. 0*129 grm. gave 0'345 carbonic acid, and 0*141 water. 

 The specimen analysed in this case was further purified by 

 crystallization in alcohol. 



The acid is therefore united with one equivalent of aether, its 

 formula being C 4 H 5 O, C^ H 32 5 . 



Palmine. — It now only remained to determine the compo- 

 sition of palmine itself. For this purpose palmine was prepared 

 by allowing castor oil to stand in contact with dilute nitric 

 acid containing peroxide of nitrogen until it solidified. The 

 solid fat was purified by repeated solutions in aether, in which 

 it is very soluble, although only sparingly so in cold alcohol. 

 It deposits itself from the aethereal solution in opaline grains 

 without the appearance of cry stallization, and has the melting- 

 point at 43° C. (109° F.). 



I. 0*0865 grm. substance burned with oxide of copper gave 

 0*231 carbonic acid, and 0-089 water. 



II. 0*123 grm. substance gave 0*3295 carbonic acid, and 

 0-128 water. 



100-00 100-00 3800 100*00 



