312 Dr. Smith on the Composition of Spermaceti. 
Found. 
Atoms. Atomic wght. Calcul. L 2, 3. 4. 5. 
Carbon, 64 388.36 80.18 8036 7966 80.70 79.91 81:08 
Hydrogen, 64 64.00 13.22 1353 1312 1323 1340 1321 
Oxygen, 4 32.00 .660 611, 722 607. 669 57 
————— —————— ———$ ll i 
Distillation of Spermaceti—The products furnished by the 
distillation of spermaceti were examined some time since by 
ussy and Lecam, but they appear to have fallen into the same 
error with regard to them as was committed in the analysis of 
spermaceti, for they state that oleic and margaric acids were 
among the products. : 
To make a correct examination of the products of the distilla- 
tion of spermaceti, it was necessary that the substance should be 
in the greatest state of purity, as the presence of the smallest 
quantity of tallow, sometimes used asa means of adulteration, 
would serve to lead otie into error. The manner of purification 
here employed, was to dissolve the spermaceti in a mixture of 
two parts of alcohol of .820 and one part of ether, allowing it to 
crystallize out, and washing the crystals with boiling alcohol of 
If some of the spermaceti, purified as just mentioned, be placed 
in a small retort, and this last in mercury heated to its boiling 
point, the spermaceti will be found to distill over slowly, and in 
fact this appears to be the lowest. temperature at which the dis- 
tillation takes place—a temperature of about 600° Fah. The 
matter distilled no longer possesses the properties of spermacetl ; 
its melting is at a temperature somewhat lower, and it has a strong 
acid reaction upon litmus paper, as well asa peculiar smell, which. 
though is not at all that of acroleine.* : 
If the products afforded by the distillation be digested with 
water, and this water be examined, it will be found not to pos 
sess the slightest acid reaction, a fact of considerable importance, 
and one that has been mentioned in a former part of this articls 
as an evidence of the non-existence of oleic acid in spermacell, 
* If tallow be heated until it distills, it will be found to possess an odor which 
irritates both the nostrils and eyes, and the substance to which this odor belongs 
dis a product of the decomposition of the glycerine in the 
as been found that all bodies that contain glycerine, w: 
ny give the same odor, and it.has therefore become the te 
+ for the 
