DISTILLATION OF SPERMACETI. 243 



water. The percentage afforded by this will serve to show 

 the identity between it and athalic acid. 



In 100 parts. 



Athalate of silver. Atoms. Atomic weight. Calculated. Found. 



Carbon 32 194.18 53.16 53.28 



Hydrogen 31 31.00 8.48 8.50 



Oxygen 3 24.00 6.57 6.61 



Oxide of silver.. 1 116.13 31.79 31.61 



365.31 100.00 100.00 



In the distillation of spermaceti there are other products 

 found than those just mentioned; but they appear only toward 

 the latter end of the process, and result from an elementary 

 decomposition. They are water, carbonic acid, carbonic oxide, 

 and gaseous carbureted hydrogen, carbon being left behind 

 in the retort; and these products are very small in quantity, 

 except when the vessel is very deep and the heat strong. 



If proper care be taken, spermaceti can be distilled almost 

 completely, there being left behind an exceedingly small black 

 residue. A circumstance which facilitates this complete distil- 

 lation is having kept the spermaceti for some time at the tem- 

 perature of about 550° to 600° Fah. 



The results of the investigations upon the distillation are, 

 first, that it is impossible to distill spermaceti without more 

 or less of it undergoing decomposition ; and secondly, that 

 the products of this decomposition are ceten and athalic acid; 

 which fact serves to substantiate the correctness of the formula 

 already taken for spermaceti, thus : 



One atom ceten C32 H32 



One atom hydrated athalic acid C32 H32 O4 



One atom of spermaceti Cm H64 O4 



Nature of Spermaceti. 



From the foregoing researches I feel somewhat prepared to 

 speculate upon the true nature of spermaceti ; for although it 

 may be difficult to arrive at any positive conclusion with regard 

 to it, still we should not be deterred from forming a judgment 

 upon probabilities. 



For many reasons spermaceti would appear not properly' to 

 belong to the class of fatty bodies, and consequently not com- 

 posed of an acid and a base. The fats, properly speaking, are 



