64 ANIMAL ACIDS CONTAINING AZOTE. 



The number of atoms which agrees best with this analysis and 

 with the atomic weight is 



13 atoms carbon, = 9-75 or per cent. 54-34 



10 atoms hydrogen, = 1-25 ... 6'50 



atom azote, =0-875 ... 4-90 



6 atoms oxygen, =6-0 ... 33-56 



17*875 100- 



The analysis of cholesterate of strontian is considered by Pel- 

 letier as the most accurate. It was found composed of 

 Cholesteric acid, 100- or 16-5 

 Strontian, . 36-98 or 6-5 



This would make the atomic weight of cholesteric acid 16-5, 

 which does not deviate much from that obtained by the ultimate 

 analysis. 



All the cholesterates are more or less coloured. The alkaline 

 cholesterates are very soluble and deliquescent, but the earthy 

 and metalline cholesterates are very little or not at all soluble 

 in water. They are decomposed by all the mineral and most of 

 the vegetable acids, if we except carbonic acid. The alkaline 

 cholesterates precipitate all the metallic solutions, and the preci- 

 pitates vary in colour according to the kind of metal or the de- 

 gree of its oxydizement. 



1. Cholesterate of potash has a brownish-yellow colour, does 

 not crystallize, is very deliquescent, and does not dissolve in al- 

 cohol or ether. It is incapable of uniting with a second dose of 

 the acid. When this salt is decomposed by sulphuric or any other 

 acid, the cholesteric acid separates in white flocks, which float 

 upon the surface of the liquid. When heat is applied to this 

 salt, the acid undergoes decomposition. There pass over water, 

 oil, and carburetted-hydrogen gas, while carbonated-potash re- 

 mains in the retort. No hydrocyanic acid is evolved during this 

 decomposition. 



2. Cholesterate of soda resembles the preceding salt so exactly 

 that we can only distinguish them by separating the base, and 

 ascertaining its nature 



3. Cholesterate of ammonia, obtained by directly uniting the 

 constituents of the salt together, has the same taste, colour, and 

 smell, as the two preceding species ; and its reactions are similar. 



4. Cholesterate of barytes is easily obtained by double decom- 



