Dr. Thomson and Mr. Wood on the Composition of Shea Butter. 283 



26ih April, 1848. — The concluding meoting of the Session was held t\n< 

 evening. — The President in tJie Chair. 



Mr. William Clark was admitted a member. Mr. William Connell 

 was elected and admitted a member. 



Dr. Gregory of Edinburgh read a paper "On the Preparation of 

 Creatine, with remarks on the Composition of the Juice of Flesh," and 

 exhibited several beautiful specimens of creatine, creatinine, inosinic acid, 

 &c. The thanks of the Society were voted to Dr. Gregory for his kind- 

 ness in coming to Glasgow to read this paper. 



The following paper was read : — 



XLI. — Note on the Composition of Shea Butter and Chinese Vegetable 

 Tallow. By Dr. R. D. Thomson and Mr. Edward T. Wood. 



Shea Butter. — This substance is a vegetable product of Western 

 Africa, and was first brought into notice by the celebrated Mungo Park, 

 during his first journey in 1796. The tree from which it is procured, he 

 describes as very much resembling the American oak, and the fruit (from 

 the kernel of which being first dried in the sun, the butter is prepared by 

 boiling the kernel in water,) has somewhat the appearance of a Spanish 

 olive. The kernel is enveloped in a sweet pulp under a thin green rind, 

 and the butter produced from it, besides the advantage of its keeping the 

 whole year without salt, is whiter, firmer, and, according to Park, of a 

 richer flavour than the best butter he ever tasted made from cow's milk. 

 The growth and preparation of this commodity seem to be among the 

 first objects of African industry, and it constitutes a main article of their 

 inland commerce. This butter is abundantly produced not only towards 

 the Gambia, but also in the countries adjoining the Niger, as it is men- 

 tioned by the Landers and other recent travellers. Mr. John Duncan, 

 who penetrated by Dahomey, describes the tree as resembling a laurel, 

 and growing to the height of eighteen or twenty feet. The leaf is 

 somewhat longer than the laurel, and a little broader at the point. The 

 nut is of the size and form of a pigeon's egg, and of a light brown colour ; 

 the substance of the shell about that of an egg. The kernel, when new, 

 is nearly all butter. The shell is crushed from the kernel, which is also 

 crushed and boiled with a little water in a pot for half an hour. It is 

 then strained through a mat, when it is placed in a grass bag and pressed. 

 A good sized tree will yield a bushel of nuts. 



Shea Butter appears to be the same as that which is called Galam butter, 

 and is derived from a species of Bassia, but the species has not yet been 

 made out, as no specimens of the flower and fruit have reached botanists. 



The oil upon which the following experiments were made, was obtained 

 through the kindness of Dr. Carson of Liverpool, from Mr. Jameson, 

 for mer l y of this city, and now of Liverpool, whose benevolent exertions 



