1849.] 185 



The Committee on Dr. Keller's analysis of a calculus from the 

 bladder of a Whale, reported in favor of publication in the 

 Proceedings. 



Chemical Analysis of a Calculus from the bladder of a Whale. 

 By William Keller, M. D. 



Whalers report that it is not unusual to find a number of calculi in the bladder 

 of the whale. These calculi are about the size of a hen's egg, on the surface very 

 smooth, and of a white color. On breaking them they are seen to be formed of con- 

 centric layers, from the thickness of a sheet of paper to that of a quarter of an 

 inch; the chemical composition throughout being very nearly the same. Mr. Saul 

 MuUer and myself took for analysis different layers, and found them of the same 

 composition. The chief constituent of the calculus is the double phosphate of 

 ammonia and magnesia. The quantity of ammonia could not be directly ascer- 

 tained, passing off at the summer temperature. But it will be seen that the 

 quantity of phosphate of magnesia found, will answer to the quantity of ammonia 

 and water found necessary for the formation of the double phosphate. 



The pulverized stone was first exposed to the heat of a water bath, to ascertain 

 the quantity of water; heated with ether and alcohol to find the quantity of fat; then 

 dissolved in nitric acid, the residuum incinerated, the loss was organic matter and 

 uric acid, while the residuum was silicic acid. Thequantity of magnesia was ascer- 

 tained as ammoniaco-magnesian phosphate, the phosphoric acid as phosphate of 

 iron. The carbonic acid, the quantity of which was very small, was found by 

 the apparatus of Will and Fresenius. The rest of the component parts were in 

 such small quantities that they could not be weighed : they were iron, lime, 

 chlorine and soda. The ammonia and water were ascertained by calculation. 



Analysis. 



80.41 

 Traces of NaO, CaO, FeO, CI. 98.91 



