Vol. I, No. 3.] Composition of the oil from Bir Bahotv. 79 
[ee S: | 
was a copious deposit of lithium myristate. This was filtered off and 
the freed acids were crystallized in three fractions which had melting 
points of 53°°7, 53°°8 and 55°°8 respectively. The acid was thus pure 
myristic acid. The filtrate from this lithium myristate was 
evaporated down and the acid liberated in the usual manner. It 
was myristic acid with the melting point 53°.4, and after crystal- 
lizing from alcohol, 53°°7. The unsaturated fatty acids obtained in 
the second series of operations had deposited a few white crystals 
after standing for two days at a temperature of 20°. As it was 
possible that they might still contain a small amount of solid acids 
they were again converted into the lead salts and treated with 
ether as above described. The acid thus prepared again deposited 
crystals in two days at 18°, but the iodine value was 94°.5,so it 
was probable that the solid acid was an unsaturated acid. 
For the investigation of this solid acid the crystals were 
filtered off, and freed as far as possible from all liquid acids by 
gently pressing them between filter paper. The acid was dis- 
tinctly solid and was quite white. The amount was only 0:1390 
gram which had the iodine value of 67. The iodine value of the 
liquid filtered off was again taken to see whether it had undergone 
any alteration. It was found to be 67 when taken at the same 
time as that of the crystals, and when taken four days later after 
exposure to air was found to be less still. Since the original value 
was 95,it seems likely that the unsaturated acids consisted mainly 
of oleic acid, and possibly of a lower acid of the same series. The 
change in the iodine value would be due to oxidation or decompo- 
sition. These changes seem similar to those experienced by Sen- 
kowski (Zezt. f. Physiolog. Chem. 1898, 434). 
The acids isolated were present as glycerides as is shown by 
the saponification value of the oil. Glycerol was, however, isolated 
in the usual way by saponifying the oil, removing the fatty acids 
and neutralizing the remaining solution. This was then evaporated 
to dryness and extracted with alcohol. The extract after removal 
of the alcohol was a rather dark liquid readily miscible with water. 
It gave all the reactions of glycerol. 
Conclusion.—The above experiments point to the conclusion that 
the oil is principally composed of myristodiolein, and that there are 
also present small quantities of stearin, cholesterol and colouring 
matter. The butyric acid may be the result of decomposition. 
There is possibly also present an alcohol of high molecular weight 
belonging to the fatty series of carbon compounds. 
In the above it will be seen that the author’s results regarding 
the separation of stearic and myristic acid do not agree with those 
of Partheil and Ferié. The latter state that when a mixture 
of stearate, palmitate and myristate of lithium are heated with 
absolute alcohol so as to dissolve the salts, only the stearate and 
palmitate separate out on cooling, while the myristate remains in 
solution. Lewkowitsch, indeed, suggests a method of separation 
of the acids based on their work, but he qualifies his remarks by 
the statement that Partheil and Ferié worked on such small 
