\7^2 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September 



derived from the monatomic alcohols by oxidation. Thus common 

 acetic acid which is derived from ordinary ethyl alcohol by oxida- 

 tion is a fatty acid. 



Every one here present knows what glycerine is. Many 

 times has it been applied to delicate hands and to charming- lips to 

 repair injuries caused by cruel cold winds. When applied to the 

 lips that inodorous, colourless, viscid liquid is found to possess 

 somewhat of an agreeable sweet taste. Several no doubt would 

 have hastily thrust it away from them had they known that 

 sweet, inoffensive looking substance to be an alcohol. True, 

 however, it is thitt it is just as much an alcohol as the accursed 

 beverage which brings unhappiness to so many homes. It is an 

 alcohol, but of somewhat different constitutional composition, for 

 it is v\hat chemists call a triatomic alcohol. Each person carries 

 stored up in his body a rather considerable quantity of that 

 special alcohol. Let our prohibitionists be not alarmed, for this 

 alcohol produces none of the nefarious effects of the so-called fire- 

 water. Its action is only beneficient, for it combines with the 

 fatty acids to form that very necessary substance : fat. 



Fat is found widely disseminated in nature. Plants contain a 

 certain amount in the form of oil. It is found in most of the 

 animal tissues. The following table from Gorup-Besanez gives 

 the percentage in the organs and fluids of the body : — 



Sweat o.ooi Cartilage 1.3 



Vitreous humour 0.002 Bone 1.4 



Saliva 0.02 Crystalline lens 2.0 



Lymph 0.0^ Liver 2.4 



Synovia 0.06 Muscles 3.3 



Liquor amnii 0.06 Hair 4.2 



Chyle 0.2 Brain 8.0 



Mucus 0.3 Egg 1 1.6 



Blood 0.4 Nerves 22. r 



Bile . . 1.4 Adipose tissue 82.7 



Milk 4.3 Marrow 96.0 



Fat being found in the body must necessarily be derived from 

 the food which is absorbed. All foods whether animal or veget- 

 able contain three distinct classes of compounds which deserve 

 special notice, namely : protein, carbohydrates and fats. 



