PHYSETER MACROCEPHALUS. 



from which it is extracted being as three to four. The blubber 

 is principally accumulated at the circumference of the body, 

 beneath and in the extended tissue of the skin ; an immense 

 quantity of fine oil is also lodged in the cellular substance 

 of the tongue, and the coarse and porous bones, particularly 

 the lower jaw, are full of pure oil. 



The common whale oil and the oil of other cetaceous ani- 

 mals contain small quantities of spermaceti, which they 

 slowly deposit on long standing ; and this is also the case in 

 a moderate degree with the oil of all fishes, whether breath- 

 ing by lungs and mammiferous, or breathing by gills. 



CHEMICAL AND MEDICAL PROPERTIES AND USES. 



SPERMACETI is in white, pearly, semitransparent masses, of 

 a crystalline foliaceous texture, friable, soft, and somewhat 

 unctuous to the touch, slightly odorous, insipid, specific grav- 

 ity 0.943, fusible at 112 Fahrenheit, volatilizable at a higher 

 temperature without change in vacua, but partially decom- 

 posed if the air is admitted, inflammable, insoluble in water, 

 soluble in smaU proportion in boiling alcohol, ether, or oil 

 of turpentine, but deposited as the liquids cool, readily solu- 

 ble in the fixed oils, not affected by the mineral acids, except 

 the sulphuric, which decomposes and dissolves it, rendered 

 yellowish and rancid by long exposure to hot air, but capable 

 of being again purified by washing with a warm lye of potash. 

 By the agency of the alkalies, it is with difficulty saponified, 

 being converted into an acid called by MM. Dumas and 

 Stass ethalic acid, and a peculiar principle named ethal by 

 Chevreul. Spermaceti, when quite pure, may be considered 

 either as a compound of ethalic acid and ethal, or as a dis- 

 tinct substance which is resolved into these two by reaction 

 with alkaline solutions. (Aimal. der Chem. undPharm., XLIII. 

 241.) The name of cetin was proposed for it in this state 

 by Chevreul. As found in the stores it is not entirely pure, 

 containing a fixed oil and often a peculiar coloring principle. 

 From these it is separated by boiling in alcohol, which on 

 cooling deposits the cetin in crystalline scales. Thus purified, 

 it does not melt under 120 Fahrenheit, is soluble in forty parts 

 of boiling alcohol of the specific gravity 0.821, and is harder, 

 more shining, and less unctuous than ordinary spermaceti. 

 The ultimate constituents of spermaceti are carbon, hydrogen, 

 and oxygen ; and its formula according to Dumas C 32 H ;}3 O. 



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