1818.] their Combinations with Alkalies. 271 



had less smell, and was somewhat less soluble in alcohol ; for 

 100 parts of alcohol of the specific gravity of -821 dissolved only 

 2*5 parts of it, while it dissolved 3-5 of the common spermaceti. 

 The solution was neither acid nor alkaline ; by cooling, it pro- 

 duced an abundant deposit of small pearly plates. The action of 

 potash upon the purified cetine was then examined. As the 

 saponification of cetine is a tedious operation, and the potash is 

 apt to act upon glass vessels, a digester was employed, and 

 20 parts of cetine were added to the same quantity of potash, 

 dissolved in 100 parts of water. The process was repeated 10 

 times upon the same materials, when the matter which remained 

 in the retort appeared to be completely saponified ; this was 

 added to the fluid that was distilled over, and the whole was 

 mixed with a solution of tartaric acid. A watery fluid and a 

 fatty matter were thus obtained, the latter of which amounted 

 to 18*45 parts. 



The aqueous fluid was distilled, the product had only a very 

 slight odour ; when neutralized by barytes it afibrdedya minute 

 quantity of yellowish acetate, and by evaporation a portion of a 

 yellow, syrupy fluid was procured. The fatty matter from the 

 soap of cetine was of a lemon colour ; after being melted at the 

 surface of water, its fracture exhibited a lamellated and shining 

 texture. It was subjected to a temperature of 131° ; and when 

 the thermometer fell to 112° it began to grow solid, but it con- 

 tinued to fall to 102°, at which point the congelation was com 

 plete : when melted with water it congealed at about 111°: 

 100 parts of alcohol of the specific gravity of -817 dissolved 115 

 parts of the fatty matter ; the solution remained transparent for 

 a considerable time - but after standing for 24 hours, it depo- 

 sited some very fine, brilliant needles- it strongly reddened 

 litmus, and the red colour was converted into a blue by the 

 addition of water. 



A train of experiments was then entered upon to discover 

 whether the whole of the substance was in the acid or saponified 

 state ; the results of which indicated that the fatty matter con- 

 tained two substances, one which was acid," and another 

 which was not so ; in order to ascertain the proportions in which 

 they existed, the substance was treated first with barytes, and 

 afterwards with successive portions of alcohol; and by separating 

 the portion which was soluble in this medium from that which 

 was not so, it was found to consist of 



Acid fat 63-79 



Fat, not acid 36-21 



100-00 



These two bodies were then examined separately. The acid 

 fat, after being melted, crystallized in small, radiated, yellowish 

 needles. It was completely soluble in the water uf potash when 



