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 I am more inclined to believe phocenic acid, as this 

 acid is found in the oil in connection with which spermaceti is 

 found in its natural statejtand the spermaceti may no doubt play 

 some part in its formation ; 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 separated 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 crystalline 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 has a 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 



Hydrogen, - - - - 7.00 



Oxygen, - . - - 42.80 



100.00 



The silver salt is easily formed by double decomposition with 

 the ammoniacal salt and nitrate of silver. It is slightly soluble 

 in water, and not easily altered by the action of light. 



