l62 PALM OIL. 



at 62^ it was completely so, and was of the consistence of 

 honey: it continued to grow thicker until it arrived at 45°, the 

 temperature of the room, when, although its fluidity was en- 

 tirely lost, it still retained a degree of softness that it did not 

 possess before the experiment. 



The thermometer, as far as I could perceive, continued to 

 descend without interruption during the whole period, and the 

 oil seemed gradually to thicken in every part, without ex- 

 hibiting any appearance ol partial congelation. The inference 

 which may be drawn from this experiment, seems to be con- 

 firmed by the following : Two equal quantities of the palm- 

 oil were placed in similar jars; one portion was rendered 

 completely fluid, and was th^n cooled down to 69", when it 

 began to assume a slight appearance of opacity; the other 

 was heated to ed"^, and was just beginning to melt. Both 

 vessels were then plunged in a water-but of 100" : a thermo- 

 meter^inserted into each of them rose with equal rapidity, the 

 first remaining 4" above the second. They were then re- 

 moved, and the thermometers indicated an equally rapid 

 decrease of heat, until they arrived at 48'', which was the 

 temperature of the room. Equal quantities of palm and olive 

 ^ oil were heated, in similar jars, to the 100th degree, and then 



removed to a temperature of 45® : thermometers were inserted 

 into each, and descended with equal rapidity. 

 Habitudes of Alcohol, at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, -^cts 



Palm-uilwith ^pyri palm-oil in a very slight degree only. After remaining 

 ^°^° ' in contact for forty-eight hours, the fluid is perceptibly tinged 



of a ye'low colour ; and, by the addition of water, a slight 

 degree of turbidness is produced, owing to the precipitation of 

 a small quantity of palm-oil. By the application of heat, alco- 

 hol dissolves the oil more readily; a part of it is precipitated 

 as the fluid cools, but a small quantity, about l-75lh of the 

 'Weight of (he airohol, remains in permanent solution, and may 

 be precipitated by water. 

 — andwithsul- Sulphuric ether acts upon palm-oil with facility, at the ordi- 

 phuric eiher. ^ary temperature of the atmosphere, and produces a deep, 

 bright yellow solution. The ether dissolves about l-6th of its 

 weight of the oil, an! its solvent pov/er is increased by heat. 

 W-i-K-n water was added, the ethereal solution rose to the sur- 

 face, and floated on the water without being decomposed. 



Palm- 



