B. P., not official. - The purified cholesterin fat obtained as a bye-product in the dressing of sheep's wool.

Source

Sheep's wool, washed with cold water, then subjected to heat and pressure, yields impure wool fat. This is purified by melting, washing with alkali, and then washed with an acid while it is heated.

Characters

Semi-transparent, pale yellow, tenacious body. Ignited, it burns with a sooty flame. Melts between 100o and 112° F.; 37.70 and 44.40 C.; odor like sheep's wool.

Solubility

Freely in Chloroform and in Ether, partially in Alcohol. Insoluble in water, but on vigorous stirring takes up 11/4 times its weight.

Composition

Before the separation of the fatty acids it consists of (1) Cholesterin and Isocholesterin, 70 per cent. (2) Fatty acids, 30 per cent.