CHOLESTERIC ACID. 65 



position. It is very little soluble in water. When newly pre- 

 cipitated, it has a lively red colour ; but on drying it becomes 

 of a dark muddy red. It has neither taste nor smell. Accord- 

 ing to the analysis of Pelletier and Caventou, it is composed of 

 Cholesteric acid, . 16'9 



Barytes, . . 9-5 



They found that cholesteric acid required for its saturation about 

 three and a-half times as much barytes as sulphuric acid does. Ac- 

 cording to that statement, its atomic weight should only be 17*5. 



5. Cholesterate of strontian may be obtained, like the preced- 

 ing salt, by double decomposition. It has an orange-red colour, 

 is almost insoluble in water, and is destitute of taste and smell. 

 Pelletier and Caventou analyzed it after it had been dried in the 

 temperature of 212, and obtained, 



Cholesteric acid, . 16*5 



Strontian, . . 6*5 



6. Cholesterate of lime was obtained by mixing solutions of 

 chloride of calcium and cholesterate of potash. It has a brick- 

 red colour, is destitute of taste and smell, and is more soluble in 

 water than the two preceding species. 



7. Cholesterate of magnesia is obtained by double decomposi- 

 tion. It has a deep brick- red colour, and is insoluble in water. 



8. Cholesterate of alumina may be obtained by mixing together 

 solutions of alum and cholesterate of potash. When newly pre- 

 cipitated it has a beautiful red colour, but becomes dark and 

 dull on drying. 



9. Cholesterate of platinum is obtained by mixing solutions of 

 chloride of platinum and cholesterate of potash. It has a brown 

 colour, is insoluble in water, and very heavy. 



10. Cholesterate of silver has an orange-red colour, which be- 

 comes dull on drying. 



11. Cholesterate of lead was obtained by mixing nitrate or 

 acetate of lead with cholesterate of potash. It has a deep brick- 

 colour, but loses its beauty on drying. It is insoluble in water, 

 but dissolves in acetic acid, or rather it is decomposed by that 

 acid. 



Pelletier and Caventou found that 100 parts of this salt yield- 

 ed 100 parts exactly of sulphate of lead. Now 100 sulphate of 

 lead contain 73*68 of oxide of lead. Hence the cholesterate of 

 lead must be a compound of 



