342 RETROGRESSIVE PROCESSES 



constituting a macroscopical and microscopical degeneration, but 

 without any actual increase in fat this condition occurs particu- 

 larly in the kidney and nervous system. Third, a combination 

 of both of the above processes, infiltration of fat and liberation of 

 masked intracellular fat, may occur simultaneously in an organ. 1 



PROCESSES RELATED TO FATTY METAMORPHOSIS 

 ADIPOCERE 



This apparent transformation of the substance of dead bodies 

 into a wax-like material was for a long time looked upon as 

 evidence of a transformation of proteid into fat, but in the 

 light of more recent investigations this view can hardly be held. 

 Adipocere is the product of a process that occurs particularly in 

 bodies buried in very wet 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 mix- 

 ture of fatty acids in crystalline and amorphous form, and 

 soaps, particularly ammonium, magnesium, and calcium salts 

 of palmitic and stearic acid (the oleic acid largely disappearing 

 during the process). The resulting material is absolutely resis- 

 tant 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 lighter 

 than that of the original body ; indeed, one is always surprised 

 at the light weight on lifting such a specimen. Adipocere 

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

 all the soaps and fatty acids found are farmed 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 ; 2 or the infiltration may be accom- 

 plished through diffusion of the ammonium soaps formed 

 during the decomposition. As the subcutaneous fat is hardened 

 by the formation of soaps, and the bones remain to hold the parts 

 in position, the general form of the body is preserved, creating 

 the impression that its entire substance has been converted into 

 adipocere, when the total mass may actually weigh but twenty 



1 The above conception of the processes involved in fatty metamorphosis 

 has been held by the writer for several years, and is more fully discussed in 

 other publications (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc., 1902 (38), 220; ibid.., 1906 

 (46), 341). Ribbert (Deut. med. Woch., 1903 (29), 793) has also advanced a 

 similar explanation for the morphological differences between fatty " degenera- 

 tion " and " infiltration," i. ., that the degenerative changes are independent 

 of the fatty accumulation. 



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



