DAIRY PRODUCTS. 57 



of distillate. I use pbenol-phthalein as an indicator instead of litmus. 

 When the alcoholic KOH solution has been made for some time I make 

 a blank saponificatiou and distillation with that and discount the cubic 

 centimeters of soda solution required by that for that required by the 

 butters. 



Keichert's method lias also been tried and approved by Caldwell. 1 

 He says: 



For foreign fats Reichert's method was followed with much satisfaction. When all 

 the necessary solutions are ouce prepared the analysis is made with comparatively 

 little trouble; with less, in fact, than is allowed even by thoso who praise it most. 

 Its author says that a current of air must bo passed through tho liquid in the llask 

 while the distillation is going in, to prevent bumping, and Ambuhl says that all at- 

 tempts to dispense with this precaution by the use of pnmice-stone, platinum scraps, 

 and tho like failed. Nevertheless, finding it very inconvenient to use tho current 

 of air, I ventured to try a combination of short spirals of platinum wire and pieces 

 of pumice stone together, and with complete success; the ebullition continued from 

 beginning to cud as quietly as could be desired. 



Meissel 2 has described a modification of lleichort's process as follows: 



Five grams of the melted and filtered butter fat are treated in a 

 200cc. flask with 2 grams of stick alkali and 50cc. 70 per cent, alcohol. 

 After complete saponification the alcohol is evaporated. The soap is 

 dissolved in lOOcc. water and decomposed with 40cc. one-tenth II 2 SO 4 . 

 The flask is supplied with some pieces of pumice-stone and connected 

 by means of a bulb with a condenser. 



The distillation is continued until HOcc. are drawn over. After fil- 

 tration lOOcc. are titrated in presence of litmus with one-tenth N potash 

 and the number of cubic centimeters required increased by one-tenth. 



If less than 2Gcc. of the alkali solution are required in the titration 

 the butter may be suspected of falsification. 



Mode of procedure in Reicherfs method (used by Dr. G. A. Crawpton, 

 Department of Agriculture). About 2.5 grams of the melted butter 

 fat arc weighed out by means of a small pipette and beaker, which are 

 weighed again after the sample has been taken out, and run into a bot- 

 tle provided with a patent India rubber stopper; 25cc. of a solution of 

 (approximately) semi normal alcholic potash is added, the bottle closed 

 and placed in the steam bath until the contents are entirely saponified, 

 facilitating the operation by occasional agitation. The bottle is then 

 removed from the bath, allowed to stand a few moments until partially 

 cooled off, when its contents are transferred to a porcelain evaporating 

 dish, the bottle being rinsed with a little alcohol. The alcohol is then 

 driven off as rapidly as possible, and when the mass of soap and alkali 

 is nearly dry, it is dissolved up in 25cc. of water, and transferred to a 

 suitable flask of about 200cc. capacity, which is fitted with a delivery 

 tube and condenser; the delivery tube ; s carried up about 8 inches be- 

 fore it is bent to enter the condenser and a bulb is blown in it just below 



1 Second Ann. Rept. N. Y. S. Bd. of Health, p. 526. 



2 Ding. Poly. ,1., vol. 233, p. 229. 



