COMPOUNDS OF ORGANIZATION. 75 



considered the best which have been devised, is published in 

 the twentiethVolume of their Transactions, pp. 209, 239 *. 



As many readers may not have access to this work, I shall here trans- 

 cribe the different processes. 



The first process, " For purifying fish-oil in a moderate degree, and at a 

 very little expense. 



" Take an ounce of chalk in powder, and half an ounce of lime slacked 

 by exposure to the^air ; put them into a gallon of stinking oil, and, having 

 mixed them well together by stirring, add half a pint of water, and mix 

 that also with them by the same means. When they have stood an hour 

 or two, repeat the stirring, and continue the same treatment at convenient 

 intervals, for two or three days ; after which, superadd a pint and a ^half 

 of water, in which an ounce of salt is dissolved, and mix them as the other 

 ingredients, repeating the stirring, as before, for a day or two. Let the 

 whole then stand at rest, and the water will sink below the oil, and the 

 chalk subside in it to the bottom of the vessel." 



The second process, " To purify to a great degree, fish-oil without heat. 



" Take a gallon of crude stinking oil, or rather such as has been prepar- 

 ed as above mentioned, and add to it an ounce of powdered chalk ; stir 

 them well together, several times, as in the preceding process : and after 

 they hare been mixed some hours, or a whole day, add an ounce of pearl- 

 ashes, dissolved in four ounces of water, and repeat the stirring as before. 

 After they have been so treated for some hours, put in a pint of water, in 

 which two ounces of salt are dissolved, and proceed as before : the oil and 

 brine will separate on standing some days, and the oil will be greatly im- 

 proved both in smell and colour. When a greater purity is required, the 

 quantity of pearl-ashes must be increased, and the time 4 before the addition of 

 the salt and water prolonged." " If the same operation is repeated several 

 times, diminishing each time the quantity of ingredients one half, the oil 

 may be brought to a very light colour, and rendered equally sweet in smell 

 with the common spermaceti oil." 



The third process, " To purify fish-oil with the assistance of heat, where 

 the greatest purity is required. 



44 Take a gallon of crude stinking oil, and mix with it a quarter 

 of an ounce of powdered chalk, a quarter of an ounce of lime slacked 

 in the air, and half a pint of water ; stir them together ; and when 

 they have stood some hours, add a pint of water and two ounces of 

 pearl ashes, and place them over a fire that will just keep them sim- 

 mering till the oil appears of a light amber colour, and has lost all smell 



