^S Animal Acids* [Book IX; 



lation a fmall quantity of charcoal remains in the retort^ 

 and a little water is formed by the union of the oxygen 

 contained in the air of the diftiping veflels with the' 

 hydrogen of the oil. As this takes place in each fuc- 

 ceftlve diftillation, if we make ufe of large veffels, and 

 a confide rable degree of heat> we at lall decompofe 

 the whole of the oil> and change it entirely into 'water 

 and charcoal. When we ufe fmail vdlelsj and efpe- 

 cially when we employ a flow fire, or a degree of heat 

 little above that of boiling water, the total decompo- 

 lition of thefe oils, by repeated diftillatiorij is greatly 

 lore tedious, and more difficultly accomplimed/ 



Animal matters are compound falifiable bafes 

 brought to the (late of oxyds by combination with 

 oxygen, and which, by the further addition of that prin- 

 ciple, are capable of becoming acids. Several animal 

 acids have been difcovered, fome of which approach 

 very near to the vegetable acids. Their bafes have 

 not been afcertained with accuracy, but are fuppofed 

 to be different combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and 

 azote. The animal acids at prefent known, are the 

 following : 



Lactic acid, obtained from milk. 



Saccho-laclic, from fugar of milk. 



Formic, from ants. 



Bombic, from filk-worms. 



Sebacic, from fuet. 



Lithic, from urmary calculus. 



Pru'ffic, extracted from blood, or other animal 

 matter, by means of fixed alkali ignite .' with 

 thefe matters. 



Having mentioned the principles afforded by the 

 complete decomposition of animal matter, it will be 

 proper to notice certain matters into which the foft 

 parts of animals may be refolvcd by the action of 



menurua. 



