INVESTIGATION CoNCERNING THE RetcHERT-Meisst No. aAnpD 
THE Rate or DISTILLATION OF THE VOLATILE 
Actos 1n Butrrer Fart. 
By GEorRGE SPITZER. 
In 1906 J. Delaite and J. Legrand (Bul. Soc. Chim. Belg.) investigated 
the determination of the volatile acid. He found the R. M. No. to increase 
when saponification was continued from one-fourth to six hours. This 
they claimed was due to depolymerization. 
In the regular work of the laboratory no such variation was ob- 
served in the routire work of determining the volatile acids. The time 
of saponification varied from one to one and cne-half hours. 
To determine the effect of continuing the saponification on the per cent. 
of volatile acids obtained by the Reichert-Meissl process, 10 determinations 
were made using the same butter fat and following the A. O. A. C. method. 
(p. 189, 1908), the saponification being carried out under method (a), under 
pressure with an alcoholic solution of potassium hydrate. The saponifica- 
tion flasks were conipletely submerged in a steam bath at a temperature 
of 105° ©. This was done to insure a more uniform temperature during the 
time of saponification. 
The time of saponification varied from 15 minutes to two and one-half 
hours. The quantity of butter fat taken was as near five grams as could 
be weighed accurately. The result calculated on the basis of five grams. 
In distilling the volatile acids the conditions were kept as uniform as 
it was practical, the rate of distillation being so regulated that 110 c.c., 
the required amount was distilled in 30 minutes. 
Ten determinations were made. 'The results are shown in the follow- 
ing table. 
TABLE I. 
Showing the Effect of Time of Saponification. 
sltirrferimimintites =e. cfv-c/siescrsat ace eee 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 90 | 105 | 120 135 | 150 
ReicheriaMeissluNio' |. y-reraciiee es coe oe 28 .32 ches neat nae 28.29/28. 28}28.35 acti tice: 28.31 
Per cent. Vol. Acid as Butyric................ 4.98 sal ead 4.98 ne 4.$7| 4.99 el 4.97 4.98 
