232 COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTS OF 



The examination was directed to two points in particular ; 

 first, to the ascertaining whether spermaceti contained oleic acid; 

 and secondly, whether the solid acid obtained by Ghevreul in his 

 researches upon this body was margaric acid. 



The saponification of the spermaceti being the first step neces- 

 sary in this examination, it was of some importance to make 

 use of that method which, would bring about the change the 

 most easily. Chevreul digested the spermaceti with a strong 

 solution of potash for a number of days to effect this change ; 

 but Dumas, in speaking of the easiest manner of obtaining 

 athal from it, recommends that it should be saponified by fusing 

 it with one half its weight of potash, and as by this latter 

 means the process is completed in about one hour, it seemed to 

 me the more preferable, and was consequently adopted. 



Two ounces of spermaceti was fused with one half its weight 

 of powdered potash, care being taken that the temperature did 

 not rise above 230° Fah.; the mass soon became solid; it was 

 then allowed to cool, and afterward treated with boiling water, 

 which dissolved that portion of it which consisted of the acids 

 arising from the saponification in combination with potash ; the 

 other portion, consisting of athal and undecomposed sperma- 

 ceti, was held in suspension. To the fused mass, treated as 

 just mentioned with boiling water, was added hydrochloric 

 acid, which decomposed the soap in solution and liberated the 

 acid which it contained, and this acid, being fusible at a tem- 

 perature much below that of boiling water, melted and arose 

 to the surface along with the athal and undecomposed sperma- 

 ceti. This mixture upon cooling was again fused with pulver- 

 ized potash, for the purpose of acting upon that part of the 

 spermaceti which was not yet decomposed. After this second 

 fusion it was again dissolved in hot water, which solution, 

 holding athal in suspension, was treated with a solution of 

 chloride of calcium, and by double decomposition a combination 

 of the acids resulting from the saponification of spermaceti and 

 lime was obtained, which though was mixed with athal. 



The water was filtered away from the mixture of the lime, 

 salt, and athal, and the mass, being dried, was treated with warm 

 alcohol of 0.820, which dissolved the athal, and by repeatedly 

 washing the lime-salt upon a filter with warm alcohol, and 

 lastly with ether, until the liquid that passed through gave 



