3C)4 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1783. 



constantly found the abovementioned beaks of the sepia in all pieces of amber- 

 gris of any considerable size, I think we may venture to conclude, that all 

 ambergris is generated in the bowels of the physeter macrocephalus, or sperma- 

 ceti whale, and there mixed with the beaks of the sepia octopodia, which is the 

 principal food of that whale ; and we may therefore define ambergris to be the 

 preternaturally hardened dung or faeces of the physeter macrocephalus, mixed 

 with some indigestible relics of its food. 



There now remains only one objection to be obviated on this subject, and this 

 relates to the chemical analysis of ambergris.* Neumann obtained from 1 

 drachm of ambergris 5 grains of an acid phlegm, 1 scruples and a half of 

 empyreumatic oil, and 1 grains of a volatile acid salt in a crystalline form. 



Now if all ambergris owes its origin to the animal kingdom in the manner 

 we have stated, how are we to account for the acid obtained from it by distilla- 

 tion ? Would not ambergris, if it was really of an animal nature, like all other 

 faeces of animals feeding on animal food, yield a volatile alkali ? I confess this 

 seems to be a material objection ; but I reply to it, first, that though my expe- 

 riments made on adulterated ambergris confirm those made by Neumann, Grim, 

 Browne, and Geoffroy ; yet from that analysis, it by no means follows, that 

 ambergris is not an animal product. Two eminent chemists, Mr. Seheele, and 

 Mr. Bergman, professor of chemistry at Upsal, have lately discovered that human 

 calculi of the bladder, though of an animal origin, are nothing else but a pecu- 

 liar concrete acid, approaching in its qualities very nearly to the native vegetable 

 acid : and Professor Crell has lately shown, in a paper presented to the r. s., 

 that the presence of an acid, far from proving any thing against an animal sub- 

 stance, is to be found in the fat of all animals. This indeed proves as little as 

 if I should conclude on the opposite side of the question, that because the cruci- 

 form plants yield first a volatile alkali in distillation, they are of an animal 

 nature. This, however, I have by repeated experiments with cochlearia, nas- 

 turtium, &c. seen to be constantly the case. With regard to the nature of the 

 acid which is obtained by distillation from ambergris, nobody has hitherto to 

 my knowledge examined it ; and the experiments I made on it are insufficient to 

 say any thing positive about it. 



The great price of ambergris, an ounce of it being now sold in London for 

 1/. sterling, has been hitherto the cause of its being so often adulterated, and of 

 its being so little examined by chemists. If however a chemical analysis of its 



* Chemistry shows that in all animal excrements an acid is present, though different from that 

 found in ambergris. Besides, we do not know whether the marine acid of the sea-water in which 

 these animals constantly live, has not a share in changing the nature of their faeces ; nor whether the 

 faeces of all cetaceous animals are perhaps by their chemical analysis not materially different from 

 those of animals living on the continent. We have a chemical analysis of these latter, but none has 

 been hitherto made of the former. — Orig. 



