144 



Dr. A. A. Hayes and Dr. John Bacon communicated the 

 result of some researches upon Cochiluate Water, and upon 

 the oily matter and Crustacea contained therein. 



Dr. Hayes described the experiments, by which he had demon- 

 strated, early in November last, the presence of an Oily Substance 

 diffused through the water, to which is due its peculiar odor and 

 fishy flavor. The oil thus obtained, was evidently of animal 

 nature. It was of a light yellow color, presenting both oleic and 

 stearic acids. Its specific gravity was the same as that of lard 

 oil. Alcohol dissolved it without residue. A solution of car- 

 bonate of soda saponified it when warm. With sulphuric acid, 

 it blackened, and chlorine changed its color to dark brown. It 

 assumed a solid state at SO'^ or 90^* F. Treated with carbonate 

 of soda, when the soap was decomposed, an odor resembling 

 that from adipocire (a fatty substance resulting from decompos- 

 ing animal bodies) was generally perceptible. Specimens of the 

 oil, in different states of purity were exhibited, and the matter 

 afi'ording it, in various stages of decay, was ofl^ered for exami- 

 nation. This matter, which was collected upon cotton filters, 

 being found by Dr. Hayes to consist of minute animals, many 

 of them alive, and easily distinguished with the aid of a magni- 

 fying lens, or even with the unassisted eye, he placed some in 

 the hands of Dr. Bacon for microscopic examination. 



Dr. Bacon at once detected the source of the oil, and the nature 

 of the animals from which it is derived. He found them to be 

 minute CrMS/acea?zs, containing the oil in form of globules, which 

 can be easily seen through their transparent shells. By means 

 of ether, he removed the oil from the bodies of these animals, 

 whilst in the field of the microscope, thus viewing the whole 

 process. Dr. Bacon has even gone further than this. He col- 

 lected upon a cotton filter, from a few gallons of water, a large 

 quantity of the Crustacea, washed them so as to free them per- 

 fectly from all other substances, and then placed them in dis- 

 tilled water. After a short time, they communicated to the 

 distilled water the odor and taste of the impure lake water, and 

 upon the death of the animals, the oil was diffused through the 

 water so as to render it greasy to simple ocular inspection. 



