ADIPOCERE 343 



pounds or so, and, according to Zillner's estimate, not more than 

 one-tenth of the muscle substance is replaced by adipocere. 

 This false impression is probably responsible for much of the 

 mistaken idea concerning the conversion of muscle proteids into 

 fatty acids. 



Numerous attempts have been made to prove that muscle 

 could be thus converted into fatty acids and soaps, but although 

 success has been claimed by a few, the results are not entirely 

 convincing. 1 Bacteria can convert proteids into fats, beyond 

 a doubt, and they may do so to some slight extent in adipocere 

 formation, but probably this factor is not important. 



In the light of our present conception of fat metabolism it is 

 probable that the process of adipocere formation occurs as 

 follows : The fatty acids of the fat tissue are combined by the 

 ammonia formed during putrefaction, removing these fatty acids 

 from the normal balance of fat and fatty acids in the fat tissue ; 

 as a result, the lipase of the fat tissue continues to split up the 

 fat, and more fatty acids are produced, which likewise go to 

 form soaps. This continues until practically all the neutral 

 fat has been decomposed, the glycerin diffusing rapidly away. 

 The soluble soaps, which the bacteria do not attack, diffuse 

 into the softened muscle tissue, which they gradually replace in 

 part. In the meantime, from the more soluble ammonium soaps, 

 calcium and magnesium soaps are being slowly formed, accord- 

 ing to the usual rule of double decomposition (that the least 

 soluble salt will be formed under such conditions). The oleic 

 acid seems to be converted into the higher fatty acids (Sal- 

 kowski). 2 It is also possible that the saponification is due to 

 the gradual action of the alkaline fluids produced in decomposi- 

 tion of the tissues, or to the alkalinity of the water in which 

 the body lies. Possibly bacteria may be responsible for this 

 decomposition of the fats rather than the body lipase, for 

 Eijkman 3 has observed that certain bacteria growing in fat-con- 

 taining agar produce calcium, ammonium, and sodium soaps, 

 simulating adipocere. 



Zillner 4 gives the following scheme of the changes that take 

 place in a cadaver undergoing adipocere formation : (1) Migra- 

 tion of fluid contents of the body (imbibition of blood and 

 transudation) one to four weeks. (2) Decomposition of super- 

 ficial epidermis, then of corium first two months. (3) Decom- 

 position of muscle and gland parenchyma, until only the 



^ee Eosenfeld, Ergeb. der. Physiol., Abt. 1, 1902 (1), 659. 



2 Festschr. f. Virchow, 1891, p. 23. 



3 Cent. f. Bakt, 1901 (29), 847. * Loc. cit. 



