582 



ctber, 

 potash, 



and oils. 



Considered as a 

 peculiar priii- 

 «iple. 



Bemzoic acid 

 probably from 

 sophistication . 



ANALYSIS OF AMBERGRIS* 



Ether dissolves it cold, and also leaves the black matter. 

 This solution is not precipitated either by alcohol, or by 

 water. 



Caustic potash, whether dry or dissolved in water, com- 

 bines very difficultly wi(h one part of ambergris. This spar- 

 ing solubility in potash may be employed as a test, to distin- 

 guish true ambergris from spurious. 



Oil of turpentine and oil of almonds dissolve ambergris 

 Tery well, if assisted by heat. 



Instead of finding ambergris to be a compound of adipo- 

 cere, resin, benzoic acid, and carbonaceous matter, agree- 

 ably to the results of Mr. Bouillon-Lagrange*, the author 

 considers it as a substance suz generis. In the recapitula- 

 tion of his paper, he expresses himself thus: "ambergris 

 is a peculiar compound, which is a medium between wax 

 and resin ; differing from both in the manner in which it 

 comports itself with alkalis; and approaching the resins, 

 in alcohol dissolving a larger quantity of it than of wax, and 

 in having a resinous aspect when it is cooled after having 

 been melted. The author proposes to call it the ambrif 

 principle i." 



* See Journal, vol. vi, p. 179. 



t If a draehm of ambergris be dissolved in two drachms of boil- 

 ing alcohol, and the liquor filtered while hot, it lets fall on cool- 

 ing that substance, which I have compared to adipocere, because 

 it approaches it nearly in its properties. The supernatant fluid is 

 rendered turbid by water, and reddens a weak infusion of litmus. 

 This property is owing no doubt, as J have said in a farmer paper, 

 to a small quantity of resin which it contains. I did not think it 

 right therefore, to increase the number of new substances unneces- 

 sarily, by giving to the matter precipitated from the alcohol the 

 name of ambry principle ; I was satisfied witli considering it as in- 

 termediate betw een resin and wax. As to the benzoic acid, I must 

 confess, that I have found none in several specimens of ambergris, 

 which I have analysed since. This leads to the suspicion, that 

 there are manufactories of ambergris., as there are of castor. 



XI. Process 



