DISTILLATION OF SPERMACETI. 233 



upon evaporation no residue, it was obtained perfectly free 

 from athal. By tins process a small portion of the lime-salt is 

 dissolved, which can subsequently be obtained by treating the 

 athal, from which the alcohol has been evaporated with ether, 

 which leaves undissolved the lime-salt, and this is added to 

 what remains upon the filter. 



The lime-salt was dried, and decomposed by dilute hydro- 

 chloric acid, which furnished me with the acids arising from 

 the saponification, and like most of the fat acids it floats about 

 the water in flakes, which melt and collect at the surface if the 

 water be heated. 



Having now the acids free -from undecomposed spermaceti 

 and athal, the first part of the examination — that is to say, the 

 examination for oleic acid — was carried on as follows. 



Examination for oleic acid in spermaceti.— A: portion of the 

 acid was digested with water and the protoxide of lead, at a 

 temperature of 212° Fah., and in the course of a short time a 

 lead-salt was formed, which after being perfectly dried was 

 treated with cold ether, that dissolved no portion of the salt — 

 a circumstance that could not have occurred had the oleate of 

 lead been present, as this salt is soluble in ether, and it is one 

 of the means used to separate oleic acid from other fatty acids. 



The above is the most direct way that we have of deciding 

 upon the presence of oleic acid, and the indication which it 

 affords in the present case was of too positive a character to 

 admit for a moment the existence of this acid in the substance 

 examined. But this single evidence, although sufficient of itself, 

 has other indirect proofs to support it. 



Bedenbacker,* in his examination of the products of the 

 distillation of oleic acid, observed the fact that if this acid 

 or any substance containing it be distilled sebacic acid is in- 

 variably formed. To this test spermaceti has been subjected 

 by both Redenbacker and myself, with similar results; that is 

 is to say, that in the products afforded by the distillation of 

 spermaceti no trace of sebacic acid is to be found. 



The products furnished by the oxidation of spermaceti by 

 nitric acid is another proof of the non-existence of oleic acid 



* Kedenbacker, properly speaking, was the first to generalize this fact, for 

 it has been a long while since it was observed. 



