106 The Philippine Journal of Science 1922 
acted on by bromine in carbon tetrachloride solution it gives an 
octobromo-derivative C,,H,,OBr,, a white vitreous solid. Chlo- 
rine under similar conditions decomposes it. On warming am- 
brein with phosphorus pentachloride, a white amorphous mass 
of pentachloro ambrein C,,H,,OCI, is obtained. 
The physical constants of ambergris as given in the literature 
vary widely. No chemical methods for its identification could 
be found in the literature available. The Chinese test its purity 
by scraping it upon boiling tea in which it should dissolve. 
SUPPOSED AMBERGRIS 
A number of substances suspected of being ambergris have 
been submitted to the Bureau of Science for identification, but 
one in particular is so generally considered to be the genuine 
article as to deserve the name “supposed ambergris.” This sub- 
stance is usually found floating far out at sea in localities known 
to have yielded ambergris. It is picked up by fishermen and 
sold to the Chinese and Moros as ambergris. It has been shipped 
through the Custom House of Manila to Japan rated as “‘amber- 
gris” and is used by the natives for medicinal purposes and by 
the Chinese and Moros probably as an aphrodisiac. In all phys- 
ical appearances it closely resembles ambergris. It occurs in 
the same places, is found in the same quantities, and has approx- 
imately the same specific gravity and a similar mottled appear- 
ance. It, however, has a slightly different odor and becomes 
brittle on ageing, while true ambergris apparently does not. 
Since no methods of identifying it positively as ambergris were 
available the matter was referred to the Bureau of Chemistry 
at Washington. That bureau reported that “there are no satis- 
factory methods by which it is possible to identify ambergris. 
Perfumers are in a better position to determine the genuine- 
ness of this material than we would be by ordinary analytical 
methods.” 
It seems therefore that ambergris is determined in a manner 
analogous to that of a good wine; that is, it is judged by @ 
connoisseur, one who recognizes it by general appearance, bou- 
quet or odor, etc., from a physical rather than from a chemical 
or microscopical standpoint. 
Samples of the substance were sent to the leading perfumers 
of the United States and Europe with the request that an opinion 
be rendered as to whether the material was true ambergris. 
The replies were almost unanimous against the substance being 
ambergris. At this point the facts were brought to the atten- 
