2 THE ANALYST. SURIN FAT. BY J. LEWKOWITSCH, PHD. (Read at the Meetifzg, November 1, 1905.) THROUGH the kindness of Professor W. R. Dunstan, I obtained a sample of f a t marked The origin could not be stated. I t was added that the fat is probably derived from the seeds of a species of Palaqziizim. After removing some impurities by filtering, the fat was examined with Minyak surin, from Perak, Straits Settlement." the following result ': FAT. Free fatty acids.. . ... ... ... ... Solidifying point, commences at ... ... ,, solid at ... ... Melting-point (capillary tube) ... ... Saponification value ... ... ... ... Unsaponifiable matter.. . ... ... ... Reichert-Wollny value.. . ... ... ... Solidifying point ... Mean molecular weight ... ... Specific gravity at 60' C. (water at 60" C.= 1) 9 9 ... Iodine value ... ... ... ... ... FATTY ACIDS. ... ... ... Stearic acid (of melting-point G7.8" C: j ... ... 43-2 per cent. ... 0.9021 ... 48.9" C. ... 43.90' C. ... 56.1' C. ... 179.5 ... 4-54 ... 42.31 per cent. ... 0.55 ,, ... 59.1' C . ... 284.9 ... 58.2 per cent. Evidently the fatty acids consist of a mixture of stearic acid and oleic acid only. The extremely high proportion of stearic acid would seem to render this fat 8 very useful raw material for the candle industry, although the considerable amount of unsaponifiable matter might militate against its use. Possibly the high proportion of unsaponifiable matter is due to careless preparation of the fat. Although a number of species (eighteen) of the genus Palaqzciunz (family of Sapotaceae), all of which yield guttapercha, have been described, the fats obtainable from them are hardly known.The seeds of Palaqzcium Pisang, Burck (Sumatra), are stated to yield 45 per cent. of a bitter yellowish fat known in commerce under the name '' Balarn tallow." From the seeds of PalccquUizim oleoszm, Blanco (Sumatra), a white sweetish fat ('' Suntei tallow ") is expressed. PaZaquiunz obZom$foZi?inz, Burck (Borneo), is said to yield a hard white fat (" Njatuo tallow "), consisting chiefly of '( stearine " (whatever this may mean). 1 ecently De Jortgh and Tromp described the fat from Palaqziiurn oblongifolium (which yields the best kind of guttapercha), and gave the following figures : It is used in WeRt Borneo as an edible fat. Yield of fat from seeds ... ... ... 325 per cent. Melting-point of fat ... ... ... 40" C. Saponification value ... ... ... 201.5 Iodine value ... ... ... ... 34.3 The specimen examined by them was comparatively fresh, as the percentage of free fatty acid was only 2.1.THE ANALYST. 3 I suggest retaining the native name ‘‘ Surin fat ” for this fat, which obviously differs from the fat from Palaqzcizm obZongifoZium-at any rate, until the proper source has been ascertained.