Mr. Beetz on the Spontaneous Change of Fats. 505 



Sulphates of Copper. 

 Anhydrous neutral sulphate. SO a CuO. 



Green neutral sulphate . S0 3 CuO + HO. (Thomson.) 

 Blue neutral sulphate . S0 3 CuO + 5HO. 



Trisulphate S0 3 CuO + 2 CuO 2 HO. 



1st tetrasulphate . . . SO a CuO + 3 CuO 3 HO. 



2nd tetrasulphate . . . S0 3 CuO + 3 CuO 3 HO + HO. 



3rd tetrasulphate . . . S0 3 CuO + 3 CuO 3 HO + 2 HO. 



1st pentasulphate . . . SO s CuO + 4 CuO 4 HO. 



2nd pentasulphate . . . SO s CuO + 4 CuO 4 HO + 2 HO. 



LXII. On the Spontaneous Change of Fats. 

 By W. Beetz, Esq.* 

 "YVTEi sometimes find in various parts of mines, which have 

 T * not been worked for a considerable time, fragments of 

 a white brittle substance having frequently the appearance of 

 fat, but at times so changed that it presents more the aspect 

 of a mineral body ; I am not aware that any one has examined 

 this substance, and was consequently very much pleased at 

 receiving some pieces of it from different mines. 



The first specimen was very brittle, so that it could be 

 rubbed to a fine powder ; its appearance was that of tallow. 

 The exterior was a little covered by sesquioxide of iron, but 

 the interior was quite clean. It was found in the " Old Man" 

 iron mine, Xiffau near Runderroth, in the district of Ober- 

 berg. It was dissolved by boiling alcohol without residue, 

 but on cooling was deposited as a flocculent precipitate. 

 Warm aether dissolved it very easily, and from this solution 

 it could be crystallized. When boiled with an alkali, it was 

 converted perfectly, but not very easily, into soap. Submit- 

 ted to destructive distillation the products were the same as 

 those of all fats containing glycerine, as was fully evidenced 

 by the intense and peculiar smell. 



It melted at 59° C. into a perfectly clear liquid. 



The analyses of this body showed its composition to be as 

 follows : — 



I. 0*323 gr. of the substance gave 0*349 gr. of water and 

 0*904 gr. of carbonic acid. 



II. 0*314 gr. gave 0*352 gr. of water and 0*878 gr. of car- 

 bonic acid. 



III. 0316 gr. gave 0*361 gr. of water and 0*878 gr. of car- 

 bonic acid. 



These results, calculated to the hundred parts, give the 

 following results : — 



* Communicated by the Chemical Society; having been read April 18, 

 1843. 



