fe yi iil 
i FO 
Dr. Smith on the Composition of Spermaceti. 313 
oleic acid or any of its compounds always furnishing by distilla- 
tion sebacic acid, an acid soluble in water. The water, more- 
over, will be found to have taken up nothing, it having simply 
acquired a slight odor, resembling that of the mass with which it 
was digested. 
The steps taken to ascertain the nature of the products, were 
the following. 'The mass obtained from the distillation was di- 
gested with a solution of potash for an hour or two, and to this, 
placed in a convenient vessel, was added ether, and the two agi« 
tated together, and then allowed torepose. ‘The ether arose to the 
surface, containing in solution certain products; this was drawn 
off, and a fresh portion added, and the agitation repeated. ‘T’his 
operation was carried on until nothing remained that was soluble 
in this menstruum. 
The ether was evaporated, and a -residue shea; consisting 
of an oily fluid holding spermaceti in solution. ‘The separation 
of the oil from the piarinedats was attended with considerable 
difficulty, but by the aid of pressure at a very low temperature, 
and careful distillation, a small quantity of the oil was obtained 
tolerably pure. 
0.222 gram.-of the oil; burnt with the bioxide of copper, gave 
0.688 gram. carbonic acid, and 0.282 water, and this in 100 parts 
gives ‘ B 0. 
Carbon, * eee as ne 85.04 
Hydrogen tg 2" ee 
A Ook: 99.16 
These numbers show it to bea carburetted hydrogen, compos- 
ed of equal equivalents of carbon and hydrogen, and this, to- 
gether with such of its physical properties as I was able to ex- 
amine, lead me to believe it to be ceten, the carburetted hydrogen 
already spoken of as the supposed base of athal. Considering this 
oil to be ceten, its composition is represented by. 
In 100 ) parts. 
A Atomic weight. Calculated. Fouad 
32 Carbon, 194.18 85.85 85.04 
sti ethene 32.00 14.15 14,12 
226. 226.18 100.00 99.16 
The acide which had been treated with ether, was now 
perfectly transparent, and contained “a in combination with 
Vol. xu, No. Montnla fer 1842, 
