76 Mienibir upon Animal Fat. 
and volatile ‘oils, has presented analogous results ; he has 
shown, that the solution of phosphorus in one or other of 
these oils can never be considered as a regular medical ap- 
plication ; that there is immediately formed a small quan-_ 
tity of acid, and that this quantity increases through time. 
All the experiments hitherto mentioned were made with 
the contact of the air, the result of which’ alw ays was an 
acidification of the phosphorus. 
I did not omit to repeat several experiments without the 
contact of air, such as M. -Boullay had announced in one of 
his reports to the Pharmaceutical Society. 
In a small flask, almost entirely filled with melted fal: 
YT put a morsel of phosphorus. I hastily corked’ it, and 
heated it for five minutes in B. M.: a part of the phospho- 
rus was dissolved; and I remarked, with M. Boullay, that 
fat was not acid, but that it blackened the nitrate of silver, 
A few minutes afeleowrnds upon decanting or agitating li- 
quid fat in the open air, it acquires acidity. 
This speedy change, therefore, gives us little hope of 
» finding a sure or constant medical appiication in the solution 
of phosphorus, in spite of the processes continually re- 
commended for this purpose. The physician, therefore, can 
never be certain of the quantity of phosphorus, because the 
contact with the air 1s unavoidable. 
Being desirous of knowing the action of fat upon phos= 
phorated hydrogen gas, I passed a piece of fat under a bell- 
. glass filled with mercury ; I liquefied it with hghted char- 
coal, which I carried round about the bell-glass ; at the 
same time I passed phosphorated hydrogen gas into it: 
there was very little apparent absorption. For the greater 
certainty, I varied the experiment in the following manner: 
Into a cylinder nearly ten inches Jong and eight lines in 
diameter I poured melted fat until it was full: having car- 
ried it to the mercury tub, I made phosphorated hydrogen - 
‘gas pass into it, so as to drive off a part of the fat; I corked 
the cylinder below the mercury with a linen stopper; I 
plunged it for some minutes in hot water to keep the fat in 
fusion ; I shook the mixture continually until it cooled; I 
uncorked it below the mercury, it rose five or six lines 
above 
