156 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



to a scruple, it is a high cordial, and powerful antispas- 

 modic ; although the common dose is from two grains to four, 

 which may be given in an egg lightly poached. Riverius 

 states that ambergrease is a specific against the Rabies Canina* 

 or hydrophobia. 



In Asia, and part of Africa, ambergrease is not only used 

 in medicine, and as a perfume, but considerable use is also 

 made of it in cookery, by adding it to several dishes as a 

 spice. A great quantity of it is constantly bought by the 

 pilgrims who travel to Mecca, who probably offer it there 

 for the purpose of incense ; in the same way that frankin- 

 cense is used by the clergy in the performance of the sacred 

 ceremonies of the Roman Catholic church. 



Ambergrease may be known to be genuine by itsfragrancy, 

 which it emits when a hot needle or pin is thrust into it, and 

 its melting like fat of a uniform consistence ; whereas the 

 counterfeit will neither yield such a smell, nor fatty texture. 

 There is another substance afforded by this species of the 

 physeter, of great importance in a commercial point of view, 

 it is denominated 



SPERMACETI, t 

 This is a substance of a whitish, flaky, and unctuous nature, 

 prepared from the oil, which is principally derived from the 

 blubber of this species. Although known to the ancients, 

 they were unacquainted with the nature of its preparation ; 

 and even Schroeder doubts whether he should consider it as 

 an animal or mineral substance. The spongy, oily mass from 

 which it is made is found in a large triangular trunk, four 

 or five feet deep, and ten or twelve long, filling almost the 

 whole cavity of the head, and seeming to be entirely different 



* It would be perhaps worth while to give it a fair trial in this terrific 

 of all diseases, particularly as every other known remedy has failed. 



t In vulgar language it is called Parmasitly. It derived its name, 

 Spermaceti (seed, or sperm of the whale), no doubt, from an avaricious 

 desire to raise its commercial value, or from a notion of its scarcity. Rees's 

 Cyclopedia. 



