ft 
Dr. Smith on the Composition of Spermaceti. 315 
In the distillation of spermaceti there are other products found 
than those just mentioned ; but they appear only towards the latter 
end of the process, and debate from an elementary decomposition ; 
they are water, carbonic acid, ‘carbonic oxide and gaseous carbu- 
retted hydrogen, carbon bedi left behind in the retort ; and these 
products are very small: in quantity, except when the vessel is 
very deep and the heat strong. 
» If proper care be taken, spermaceti can be distilled almost com- 
stein there being left behind an exceedingly small black resi- 
due. A circumstance which facilitates this complete distillation is, 
having kept the spermaceti for some time at the temperature of 
about 550° to 600° Fah. 
The results of the investigations upon the distillation are, first, 
that it is impossible to distill spermaceti, without more or less of 
it undergoing decomposition ; and secondly, that the products of 
this decomposition are ceten and athalic acid, which fact serves 
to substantiate the correctness of the formula already taken for 
Spermaceti, thus— 
One atom ceten, - eS ey, 
One atom hydrated athalic xed, 
Co FO 
One atom of spermaceti,  - - Ci, Hig, 
Nature of Spermaceti. : 
From the foregoing researches, I feel somewhat prepared to 
speculate upon the true nature of spermaceti, for although it may 
be difficult to arrive at any positive conclusion with regard to it, 
still we should not be deterred from forming a judgment upon 
probabilities. ce 
For many reasons, spermaceti would appear not properly to be- 
long to the class of fatty bodies, and consequently not composed 
of an acid and a base. The fats properly speaking are known 
to be composed of acids, more or less different in their nature, in 
combination with glycerine ; and when Chevreul found athal, as 
in spermaceti, accompanied with an acid, he considered athal as 
the base in this case, as well as making it the great mark of dis- 
tinction between spermaceti and the fats. 
Before going on to state the reasons why spermaceti should 
not be’considered a fat, it would be well to mention what I sup- 
pose to be its proper position among the organic bodies. Sper- 
