1818.] their Combinations with Alkalies. 265 



We next proceed to the consideration of the oleic acid. 

 M. Chevreul's experiments on the oleate of barytes, in order to 

 determine the proportion of its elements, have finally induced 

 him to adopt the quantities of 100 parts of acid to 27 parts of 

 base as the most correct, and from these we conclude that 100 

 parts of the acid will neutralize a quantity of base that contains 

 2*835 parts of oxygen. This determination of the capacity of 

 saturation of the oleic acid is further confirmed by the oleate of 

 strontian and the sub-oleate of lead. The following table con- 

 tains the proportions in which barytes, strontian, and lead, com- 

 bine with the oleic acid. 



Oleic acid of the fat of the ox. 



Acid 100-00 100-00 100-00 



Base...... 28-93 19-41 81-81 



Oleic acid of the fat of the goose. 



Acid 100-00 100-00 100-00 



Base 26-77 19-38 81-34 



Oleic acid of the fat of the hog. 



Acid 100-00 100-00 100-00 



Base 27-00 19-38 81-80 



M. Chevreul next gives an account of the analysis of fat by 

 alcohol. He observes that he has found it very important in the 

 prosecution of his experiments to employ alcohol of the specific 

 gravity of from 0-791 to 0-798, instead of an alcohol of 0-821, 

 which he had employed in his earlier experiments, because the 

 solvent power of alcohol over fatty bodies diminishes in an ex- 

 tremely rapid progression when it is combined with water, and 

 particularly from the specific gravity of -795 to -821. In proof 

 of this position the following experiments are adduced : 100 parts 

 of boiling alcohol, of the specific gravity of -7908, dissolved 100 

 parts of the stearine of the sheep, and the solution was not satu- 

 rated ; 100 parts of boiling alcohol, of the specific gravity of 

 •7952, dissolved 16-07 of the same stearine ; 100 parts of boiling 

 alcohol, of the specific gravity of -805, dissolved 6-63 parts, 

 while 100 parts of boiling alcohol, of the specific gravity of -821, 

 dissolved only two parts. 



The method of analysis employed was to expose the different 



