Jg2 ANALYSIS OF AMBER.CRIS. 



The fpeclfic gravity of the blackifli gray ambergris 7803 ; 

 the weight of the cubic inch, 4gros 3 grs. ; that of the cubic 

 foot, 5^ lbs. 9 oz. 7 gr. 35 grs. 



Chemical Properties, 



It burns entirely Experiment I. Ambergris burns, and is entirely diffipated, 



'*^''y* when placed on a red hot coal. It leaves behind an agreeable 



fmell. 



Melts with alefs Jf (he combuftion be conduced more flowly, in a crucible 

 cgreo eat, q£ p]^j^jj^jj^ jj^g ambergris melts, difFufing the fame fraell. 

 The fmell of a fatty fubftance may be diflinguilhed like- 

 wife. 



Nothing remains in the crucible, but a greafy black fpot. 



and is then a t^QO ^^j: Reaumur's thermometer are fufficient to melt it, and 



fluid. s ftiining brown fluid is thus obtained. 



Eecomes volatile At 80'' it is volatilized in the form of a white vapour. 



Its fm-ll indi- ^■■^P- ^^' '^''^ ^"^^^'^ perccived during its volatilization 



catesan acid. having led me to fufpedl the prefence of an acid analogous to 

 that of baKams, an experiment was made to afcertain this, 

 fl^^/k^'^^' ^ ^^^ of ambergris was placed in a china capfule, covered 



porating it under with a bell, in which was fufpended fome litmus paper. 



a bell, This apparatus being placed on a fand-heat, the temperature 



was raifed fufficiently to volatilize the ambergris, and the 



paper was very quickly reddened. Nothing now remained 



but to determine the nature of the acid ; and for this purpofe 



and proved to be Schelee's procefs for extra6ling the acid of Benjamin was 

 the benzoic, , , * ° 



adopted. 



The produdl was examined, and left no doubt of their 



analogy. 

 On diftillation, £xp. III. The analyus by diflillation in a retort added 



nothing to the knowledge we already polTeffed of the nature 



of ambergris. 

 Jt gives out a A gentle heat melted it : on raifing the fire it was decom- 



^quor, wkh a pofed, and there paifed over into the receiver a whitifli acid 

 Jight oil, and liquor with a white oil, partly Ibluble in alcohol, which gave 

 le^ajes a bulky -^ ^ ygllow colour. In the retort remained a light and very 



bulky coal. 

 Imparts reither £xp. IV. Ambergris fwims on water, and is not pene- 

 tQcold°water trated by it when cold. It imparts to it neither lafle nor 



fjnell, 



Boiling 



