ANALYSIS OF AMBERGRIS. 185 



The firfl: folution in alcohol made without heat*, and that This folution 



V.'hich was poured off from the precipitate, were mixed to- "^'"^ ^ 



gether, and evaporated to the confiRence of an extract : it 



was then of a reddifli yellow colour, adhered to the fingers, 



had an agreeable fmell, and a pleafant tafle. The evapora- '^-^ ^ ''^''"""^ 



,. . , , r ■ in-- ./- fubftance. 



tion being contmued to drynels, it appeared fiimmg and tranl- 



parent, grew foft between the fingers, and burnt in the fame 



manner as reQns. 



The experiment was repeated, to determine the charaders 

 of thefe two fubflances more pofitivelj. 



For this purpofe ambergris was left to macerate in alcohol rpj^^ experiment 

 twenty-four hours as before ; it was then filtered, and a frefh repeated. 

 quantity of alcohol was; added to the refiduum, which was 

 macerated in the fame manner. The fecond liquor was lefs 

 coloured than the firft, A third portion of alcohol being poured 

 on what was left undifTolved ; its colour was (carcely altered. 

 The flight adion of the alcohol on this refiduum (eemed to 

 indicate, that it was no farther foiuble in this menftrum ; but 

 I quickly found the contrary. I heated the mixture, and the 

 whole was inftantly diffolved, leaving about 212 thoufandlhs 

 of a gramme, (lour grains) only of a black powder, which The black 

 was nothing but oxide of carbone. The folution was filtered powder oxide 

 hot, and on cooling a whitidi yellow glutinous fubftance was ° '^ '^"^* 

 depofited, which was feparaled from the lindure. 



This experiment fhows us the pollibility of feparating by Thus tViree 

 means of alcohol three very cliftind fiibftances ; the firfl loluble <*i^erent I'ub- 

 in it cold; the fecond, by means of heat; and the third in- rated. ^^^' 

 foiuble, which remains m the form of powder. 



To determine the charaders of the firfl two fubfiances, the xhefirftex- 

 tindure made without heat was firfl: evaporated to drynefs; amined. 

 when there remained in thecapfule 1.167 grammes (22 grains) 

 of a brown fubftance, dry and fliining in its fracture, unaltera- 

 ble in the air, and growing foft with a gentle heat ; 15° were 

 fufficient to give it a tenacious and glutinous confiftence ; and 

 being put on red-hot coals it was con)pleteiy volatilized. If 

 this experiment be made in a filver fpoon, the volatilization 

 takes place with the fame rapidity, an odoriferous fmell is 

 diffufed around, and no coally refiduam is left. 



Sufpe6ting this fubftance might be in fome refped analogous Djffgrs from the 

 to the refin obtained from propolis by Cit. Vauquelin, I in- refi obtained 

 ftitpted a comparifon between them, and found the lollowing ''"'" P"""?" '* 



differences ; 



1ft, 



