REPOIiT OP CIIEJIICAr. LABOEATOIIY 
413 
These figures show a liiglier proiiortioii of fat than those recorded for seeds from otlier 
localities ; thus, Lewkowitsch states it as ranging between 4!) and 52 j)er cent., and Mr. Kdie 
informs me that in two samjiles of West .African seeds he found 51-5 and 53-5 per cent, (of the 
kernel) res])ectively. 
It is quite possible that the higher proportion found in the Sudan seeds was due to their 
having been exijosed to the dry air of Khartoum for several months Ijefore they wei'e tested. 
OIL OF I.OPHIR.A .AIjAT.A. Vernarular — Zawa 
Tills oil is obtained by the natives of Southern Sudan from the seeds of Ijfqiliira ahita, Zawa oil 
which is indigenous also to Senegainlha and Sierra Leone. The crude fat as extracted by 
the natives of West Africa is known as “ Meni oil” or “ Niam fat.” The latter term would 
seem to be preferable in Europe, since the melting point of the oil is rather high. At 
ordinary temperatures it is a soft buttery mass, but in tbe higher temperature of the Sudan 
it is nearly always a clear licpiid. As extracted by the crude, native, method, it is of dark 
colour and rather unpleasant taste, due to the presence, among other impurities, of a small 
quantity of resinous matter. The addition of a small amount of animal charcoal to the 
heated, crude, oil, followed by filtration, was found to result in such a marked improvement 
that this method of treatment was carried out before the determination of the constants 
was made. Such treatment is all the more indicated since there is little possibility of 
the oils being extracted in quantity in the Sudan, and that obtained by pressure from the 
seeds imported into Europe would he little likely to contain any consideralde amount of 
resinous or unsaponifiable matter. 
.After the treatment mentioned, the oil was found to be of light amber colour and .Analysis of 
agreeable flavour, resembling that of freshly expressed arachis oil. 
The following constants were determined : — 
Zawa oil 
1 0 0 
i' 5"' 
C. = 861-5 
C = 
Specific Gravity 
Alelting point, about 
Saponification value 
Unsaponifiable matter in crude oil 
,, ,, in purified oil 
Iodine value ... 
Specific temperature reaction 
Elaidin test ... 
Baudoin’s test 
Ilalphen’s test 
Results of examinations of the fruits of Luphira alafa from Sierra Leone were reported 
by Edie,’ and later by Lewkowitsch,- as follows: — 
906-4 
10-5° C. 
177-1 
0-78 per cent. 
0-67 
72-7 
139-4° 
remains liquid 
no reaction 
no reaction 
Edie 
Lewkowitsch 
Seeds, per cent, of fruits . 
G-6 
01-.O 
Oil, per cent, of seeds. 
31-8 
.‘58-;') 
Oil in entire fruit ... . 
— 
Edie [lor. cit.) found that the ethereal extract from the kernels sejiarated into (n) a dark 
brown brittle mass, and (5) a white fat containing, when inirified by means of chloroform. 
' Jdii-nuil nf the Soeirli) nf d/miiail Iniluslrji (1007), III.S. 
fhi'L (I!lil7), Fif-."). 
'•> Freed freiii resinous m.attcr. 
