of Ambergrife, 239 
of all animals. This indeed proves as little as if T fhould con- 
clude on the oppofite fide of the queftion, that becaufe the cruci- 
form plants yield firfl: a volatile alkali in diftillation, they are 
of an animal nature. This, however, I have by repeated ex- 
periments with Cochlaria, Nafturtium, &c. feen to be con- 
flantly the cafe. With regard to the nature of the acid which 
is obtained by diftillation from ambergrife, nobody has hitherto 
to my knowledge examined it ; and the experiments I made 
upon it are infufficient to lay any thing pofitive about it. 
The great price of ambergrife (an ounce of it being now fold 
in London for one pound fterling) has been hitherto the caufe 
of its being io often adulterated, and of its being fo little exa- 
mined by chemifts. If, however, a chemical analyfis of its 
acid fhould be made, we ought to be certain that the amber- 
grife employed has not been previoufly adulterated, efpecially 
as it is but too common to find it adulterated with flower of 
rice, or with ftyrax or other refins, which might deceive us in 
forming a folid judgement about the real nature of its acid. 
The adulteration of ambergrife with any of the heterogenous 
fubfhances may be difeovered by its not having all the qualities 
mentioned above as requilite for the purelt and bell: ambergrife. 
The ufe of ambergrife in Europe is now nearly confined to 
perfumery, though it has formerly been recommended in phy- 
fic by leveral eminent phyficians ; hence the Eflentia Ambrae 
Hoffmanni, Tindfura Regia Cod. Parifini, Trochifci de Ambra 
Ph Wurtemberg, &c. dec. 
If we wifh to fee any medicinal effedfs from this fubflance, 
we mull certainly not expefl them from two or three grains, 
but give rather as many fcruples of it for a dofe ; though even 
then I fhould not expedl much effedl from it, as I have taken 
of pure unadulterated ambergrife in powder 30 grains at once, 
without 
