ADIPOCERE 



413 



places or lying in water, and results in an apparent replacement of 

 the muscles and other soft parts (but not the glandular organs) by a 

 mass consisting of a mixture of fatty acids in crystaUine and amor- 

 phous form, and soaps, particularly ammonium, magnesium, and 

 calcium salts of palmitic and stearic acid (the oleic acid largely disap- 

 pearing during the process). Analysis of samples of adipocere by 

 Ruttan^- gave the following figures: 



Composition of Human and Pig's Adipocere 



Ether soluble, per cent 



Specific gravity at 100° C. . . 



Refractive index 65° C 



Melting- point 



Acid value 



Saponification value 



Iodine value 



Acetyl value 



Mean molecular weight 



Saturated fat acids, per cent 



Unsaturated fat acids 



Hydroxy fat acids 



Stearin and palmitin 



Olein 



Unsaponified matter 



Calcium soaps 



Protein 



Ammonia 



Ash 



Ammonium and other soluble soaps were absent. The hydroxy- 

 stearic acids, w^hich are so characteristic of adipocere, are formed from 

 the oleic acid of the original triolein. Cholesterol has also been found 

 in adipocere. ^^ 



The resulting material is absolutely resistant to putrefaction, and 

 hence remains intact for many years. This replacement of the soft 

 parts is, however, only apparent, for the total weight of a body in 

 this condition is much Hghter than that of the original body; indeed, 

 one is always surprised at the hght weight on Hfting such a specimen. 

 Adipocere occurs almost exclusively in fat bodies, and it seems probable 

 that all the soaps and fatty acids found are formed from the original 

 fats of the corpse.^^ These gradually flow into the places left by the 

 disintegrating muscle, etc., a process that occurs readily in cadavers, 

 according to Zillner;"^ or the infiltration may be accomplished through 



"Jour. Biol. Chem., 1917 (29), 319; Trans. Rov. Soc. Can., 1916 (10), 169. 

 *' Van Itallie and Steenhauer, Pharm. Weekblad, 1917 (54), 121. 

 " Fatty changes in the viscera may favor their transformation into adipocere 

 (Muller, Vierteljahrs. gericht. Med., 1915 (50), 251). 

 " Vierteljahrsch. f. gericht. Med., 1885 (42), 1. 



