190 Mr. Stenhouse's Chemical Examinatio7i of 



The calculated numbers are, 



35 atoms of Carbon 2675 76*73 



66 „ Hydrogen ... 412 11*80 



4. „ Oxygen 400 11 47 



3487 100-00 



and consequently palniitin must be regarded as consisting of 



1 atom of Palmitic Acid = Cgg Hgg O3 

 1 „ Glycerine = C3 H4 O 



1 atom of Palmitin = Cg5Hgg04 



It is evident that this gives a very different formula for 

 glycerine from the ordinary one, CgHjj O5. This, however, 

 gives a much simpler view of its constitution, proving it to be- 

 long to the class of simple organic oxides, like those of ethule 

 and melhule. This formula also affords a very simple ex- 

 planation of the decomposition which glycerine undergoes 

 when treated with peroxide of manganese and sulphuric acid. 

 It is then, as is well known, converted into formic and carbonic 

 acids, as under: 



C3 H4 O + O5 = C2 Hg O3 + Hg O + C O,. 



Palmitin when distilled gave acrolein, but no sebacic acid ; 

 palm oil, on the contrary, when subjected to distillation, yielded 

 sebacic acid in abundance. This shows that the other acid 

 which palm oil contains is the oleic, as it is the only fat acid 

 known to yield sebacic acid by distillation. 



Messrs. Pelouze and Boudet discovered that palm oil con- 

 tains free glycerine, which can be obtained from it by treating 

 the oil with hot water and filtering. I have also succeeded 

 in obtaining it by this process. The acid which accompanied 

 it was neutralized with carbonate of soda, and the glycerine 

 extracted by alcohol. Its quantity was very inconsiderable. 

 The presence of free glycerine in palm oil is what might have 

 been expected from its containing so large a quantity of free 

 palmitic and oleic acids. 



Palm oil also contains small quantities of a blueish-green 

 colouring matter. It is heavier than the oil, and forms a 

 thinnish layer, which adheres to the lower part of the cake 

 which palm oil forms when it is melted in water and allowed 

 to cool; I thought at first it was owing to the palm oil having 

 been prepared in copper vessels, but on examination I found 

 that it was wholly of a vegetable nature. Hydrosulphate of 

 ammonia had no effect upon it ; caustic alkalies rendered it 

 colourless ; muriatic and nitric acid had a similar effect, but 

 sulphuric acid blackened and apparently charred it. 



