PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 17 



demand was so great that the jaws of the blackfish were not sufficient 

 to supply the market. 



Porpoise-jaw oil can be refined a little by exposure to the cold at zero, 

 and in that state, with the atmosphere at zero, it is strained through 

 a cotton flannel strainer made in the shape of a cone, but when filtered 

 through paper it is so limpid that it has no lubricating properties what- 

 ever, and becomes useless. This oil is called porpoise-jaw oil, but is 

 taken from the blackfish, belonging in the family of whales, by a method 

 known only by myself. It is warranted not to congeal with cold at 

 zero, though it will thicken and turn a little milky in appearance. It 

 is warranted not to corrode on brass or rust on steel, and it will not 

 glue on the finest watch. Ezra Kelley, of New Bedford, Mass., has 

 made it a business for many years to put it up for watch use, and has 

 led in the market, while B. H. Tisdale, of Newport, E. L, and L M. 

 Bachelder, of Boston, are getting quite popular in the European 

 market. 



Caleb Cook, youngest son of Solomon, from scientific experiments 

 did discover, about the year 1842, that the melon-oil of the blackfish 

 was far superior to the jaw-oil in every respect — so much so that Mr. 

 Kelley, who had about this time become very popular in preparing this 

 oil for the trade, would not buy it until he was told what it was pro- 

 duced from ; and from that time to the present, 1876, Caleb Cook's 

 blackfish-melon (watch) oil has been refined by Kelley, of New Bedford, 

 Bachelder, of Boston, Tisdale, of Newport, and many others on a smaller 

 scale, for the world's use. Since the year 1842, Caleb Cook, of Province- 

 town, Mass., claims to be the only person who understands the art of pro- 

 ducing this oil free from all glutinous matter and fit for use. This, he 

 says, is done by a process known only by himself — not by mixing other 

 oils or liquids with it, but by extracting all the acid and gluten from it, 

 and leaving the oil pure for the finest and most delicate machinery. 

 This, he says, cannot be done by the chilling and straining process ; for 

 when it becomes perfectly transparent at zero, the lubricating properties 

 are all gone, the oil runs off the pivots, spreads on the plates, dries up, 

 the pivots cut, turn red, and the oil is worse than worthless, for the val- 

 uable timekeeper is no longer what it was ouce for the want of oil with 

 more substance and lubricating properties. 



Porpoise-jaw oil and blackfish-melon oil are worth from $5 to $15 per 

 gallon, according to supply. These oils are sold under the above trade- 

 names, and also under the names " watch-oil" and "clock-oil". They 

 are used largely by manufacturers of firearms, watches, and philosoph- 

 ical apparatus. Smith & Wesson, of Springfield, Mass., the Ethan 

 Allen factory, at Worcester, Bye & Johnson, of Worcester, the Howard 

 Watch Company, the Elgin Watch Company, the Waltham Watch 

 Company, and the clock-factories in Connecticut, use them constantly. 

 The philosophical-instrument makers use them for air-pumps, as they 

 keep the leather always soft and pliable. Telegraph-instrument makers 



PrOC. Nat. MUS. 78 2 Published July t, 1878. 



