110 Memoir upon Animal Fat. 
the nitrates of silver and lead, the muriates of platina and 
hyperoxygenated mercury, and I found that there was very 
little decomposition, and that they produced upon fat si- 
milar effects with the nitrates of mercury. 
It results from the facts announced in this memoir : 
ist, That light without the contact of the air makes fat 
become vellow, gives it a sharp rancid smell and taste with- 
out acidifying. 
ed, That fat yields no ammonia upon distillation, and 
that it contains no azote; we may regard it therefore as a 
purely vegetable substance. 
3d, That in sulphurated pomatum there is a part of the 
sulphur in solution, and that, either dissolved or mixed, it 
does not pass to the acid state. 
4th, That phosphorus is dissolved in it, but it oui 
passes to the state of phosphorous acid; and this acidifica- 
tion increases by the contact of the air. 
5th, That fat oxygenated by long contact with the ait 
constantly becomes acid. Its washing precipitates some 
metallic solutions ; at the end of the distillation of ‘this 
washing, acetic acid passes into the recipient. 
6th, That the nitric acid forms with fat a bitter yellow 
matter, acetic acid, and an acid susceptible of crystallizing, 
which could not be entirely separated from it by simple 
washing. This solid acid is mucous or saccholactic acid, 
which is also obtained with suet by the nitric acid. 
7th, That the oxymuriatic acid is decomposed with fat, 
but the latter remains whitish, and becomes very soft. The 
bitter yellow matter is not formed, nor can it even be pro- 
duced by afterwards treating it with nitric acid. 
sth, That mercury is in the metallic state, and in Very 
minute division in mercurial ointments recently prepared. 
oth, Lastly, that in the citrine ointment mercury is in 
the state of nitrate oxidated at the minimum. The white 
crust which is formed is owing to a simple disengagement 
of the gases, which could not entirely escape, and which fill 
the surface with small bubbles. The nitrate of neutral mer- 
cury at the minimum is decomposed in fat. 
4 
a pie o>, 
