SECTION III, 1916 [169] TRANS. R.S.C. 
Human Adipocere. 
By R. F. RUITAN, M.D: DSc. 
(Read May Meeting, 1916.) 
(ABSTRACT). 
A study of two specimens of human adipocere is reported, one 
from the abdomen and legs of the body of an unknown woman found 
in the St. Lawrence River near Montreal, and the other from the 
body of an exhumed Chinaman buried for five years in the Mount 
Royal Cemetery, Montreal. | 
The body of the woman showed uneven conversion to adipocere, 
some portions were soft and oily, others dry and firm. Separate 
studies were made of this mature and immature adipocere. The 
average of several determinations showing close agreement are 
tabulated in columns II and III below and in column I the physical 
and chemical constants of a sample of mature pig’s adipocere (see 
Abstracts of Proceedings of the Society of Biological Chemists for 
1915) are recorded for comparison. The study of the adipocere from 
the other case referred to gave results very similar to those in column 
II, but the analysis is not yet complete. 
COMPOSITION OF ADIPOCERE. 
TABULATED RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF HUMAN AND PIG'S ADIPOCERE. 



Te its IH 6 fp 
Pigs. Human. Human, 
(Mature). Hard. Soft. 
RGher solublessc La. ones 94.1% 82-9%, 75-8% 
Specific gravity at 100°C......... -8436 -8397 -8410 
Refractive Index 65°C............ 1-436 1-437 1-439 
NICIEMISS POIMER RE 2: Moon de 60-63° 52-54° SDS 
PUGH WANG nel. lies we 201-7 207-3 203-8 
Saponification Value ............ 207-0 211-0 212-2 
Lodine- Value ie tie oe avs LA. 6-04 9-65 12-52 
cet yle. Values ER to er ove 34-75 11-8 —- 
Means Viole WE ER ener ane 271-0 266-0 264-0 
Saturated Fat Acids s2.....0% s+... 70-82% 71-78% 59-2% 
Unsaturated Fat Acids........... 5-24 8-87 11-6 
Elydroxy Fat/Acids:... 1... 0.01. 14-80 8-24 7-8 
Stearin and Palmitin.-. 2... 1-21 0-91 0-90 
DIE es Mask Sis 5 LUN eee 0-16 0-15 0-83 
Unsaponified Matter............. 0-87 0-69 0-75 
nlciuatsoapssh asi Leur 4-41 6:76 12-3 
LGLeUO te kale auc Recetas ters 0-665 1-93 4-14 
PASTATIONIA ES NE os gcse ee Se RSS OS085 6 Fiche hone 0-054 
ING yi, CSS ARS ee os 0-574 1-99 2-25 

