Dr. Smith on the Composition of Spermaceti. 319 
nearly the consistency of hog’s lard, and an odor of rancid 
butter, owing probably to the presence of phocenic or butyric 
acid, but lam more inclined to believe phocenic acid, as this 
acid is found in the oil in connection with which spermaceti is 
found in its natural state, and the spermaceti may no doubt play 
some part in its Sicsaatitnes this fact is interesting, and worthy of 
future examination. 
The action of the acid being continued, (renewing it as it evap- 
orates, ) in about ten days the spermaceti is in complete solution 
when the liquid is hot, and at the expiration of eighteen or twenty 
days the oxidation is completed, and if the solution be concen- 
trated, a crystalline deposit takes place. 
The examination of the products formed is as yet imperfect: 
the following is all that has been done, that can be relied upon as 
accurate. 
After the completion of the oxidation, the mass was thrown 
upon a funnel, containing in its neck a bit of asbestus; the fluid 
was thus ted from the crystalline deposit, which was washed 
With strong nitric acid. The fluid that passed through, upon con- 
centration, furnished more of the same crystals. 
The crystallite mass in the funnel gave, upon examination, 
no traces of suberic acid, but when dissolved in warm water and 
allowed to cool, a deposit slowly took place, having the form of 
little grains, and the appearance of starch. Its reaction is strongly 
acid, and when crystallized several times from its aqueous solution, 
and dried at 212° Fah., it hasa melting point of 298° Fah. It 
sublimes easily in feather-formed crystals; its ammoniacal salt 
does not precipitate the chlorides of lime, of baryta or of strontia, 
the sulphate of copper, sulphate of zinc, or neutral acetate of lead. 
With the basic acetate of lead a precipitate is formed, which is 
soluble in an excess of the lead salt. 
0.3645 gram. of this acid, burned with the bioxide of copper, 
gave 0.666 carbonic acid, and 0.230 water: in 100 parts— 
Carbon, - ; - 50.20 
Siydrogen, - - - - 7.00 
Oxygen, . ‘ - - 42.80 
100.00 
“The silver salt is easily formed by double decomposition with 
 ammoniacal salt and nitrate of silver. It is slightly —— 
in water, and not easily altered by the action of light. 
