186^ ANALYSIS OF AMBERORiS. 



in three re- ift. It mells much more flowly ; 2dly, it diffufes a denfc 



odoriferous vapour, refembling a little the fmell of honey ; 

 Sdly, it fvvells up, and leaves a very bulky coal. 



Is a truerefin. Finally, this firft fubflance obtained from ambergris, which 

 may be corifidcred as a true relin, -is foluble in alcohol, and is 

 precipitated by water. The folution reddens liimus paper, 

 which proves too, that the alcoiiol diftolves the benzoic acid 

 previoufly detected, either hy burning the ambergris under a 

 bell, or by treating it with !ime. 



Examination of Nothing now remains, but to examine the product obtained 



the fecond fub- , , i i . i ,• , " /- • r> i i 



fiance, "Y heated alcobol, alter the renn is extracted by maceration. 



I have faid above, that there feparated from the alcohol by 

 refrigeration a fubilance, part of which fubfided to the bottom 

 of the velTel, and paitadiicred to the fides. 



Being fe[)arated Iron) the liquor, and properly dried, it 

 remains a luile bulky and light. Under the preflure of the 

 finger it contrads and crumbles, but it is foon Itngdiened out 

 and foftened by the heat. Il has a laminated texture, it it be 

 fuff'ercd to cool ilowjy. 



It retains between its particles a little water and alcohol, 



which may be feparated by keeping it a fiioi t time in fufion. 



When melted over again it is much whiter than before, and 



Its properties no longer exhibits its former granulated texture. In fine, I 



the fiine with i [ ,■ i • -, n r " /• , i i r l 



thof- of the have dilcerned m it all ihe pr(;pc;tics oi tue adipocerous lub- 

 adipocerous fub-'J'iance, difcovered by Cit. Fourcroy in the {'ally matter of 

 ?u "r 5°""'' !" dead bodies, and the properties of which he has defcribed in a 



the fatty matter ' f I 



of dead bodies, paper publiflied in the 8th volume of the Annals of Chemiliry. 



From 3.821 gram^mes, (72 grains) of ambergris, 2.016 



grammes, (38 grains) of adipocerous matter may be obtained. 



Recapitulalion. 



From thefe experiments it appears we may conclude : 

 Recapitulation. ]ft_ That ambergris is a compound iubftanee, wi)ich burns, 

 and may be entirely volatilized. 



2dly, that on dillilling it alone we obtain from it a fiightly 

 acid liquor, and an oil partly foluble in alcohol, and of an 

 empyreumatic I'mell. 



Sdly. That by fublimation, or by the procefs of Scheele, 

 benzoic acid may be extracted from it. 



4thly. That water does not aft upon it. 



5thly, 



