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X. On the Conversion of. Animal Substances into a fatty Matter 
much resembling Spermaceti. By George Smith Gibbes, B. A. 
Communicated by George Shaw, M. D. F. Ji. S. 
Read March 12, 1795. 
In a paper which the Royal Society have done me the honour 
of inserting in the last Volume of their Transactions, I related 
some experiments on the decomposition of animal muscle. I 
regret that it has not been in my power to pursue these in- 
quiries with the attention the subject seems to demand. I beg 
leave, however, to present the few additional facts contained 
in this paper, not by any means as a full investigation of the 
subject, but as serving to excite the attention of those, who 
have more opportunities, and are better qualified, to pursue 
such inquiries. 
I mentioned in my former paper, that the substance pro- 
cured either by means of water, or the nitrous acid, appeared 
to me to have precisely the same external characters ; but I 
have observed since, that there is a difference between that 
which I obtain from quadrupeds, and that which is procured 
from the human subject: the former seems not disposed to 
crystallize, while the latter assumes a very beautiful and regu- 
lar crystalline appearance. 
The matter which I procured from human muscle was 
melted, into which I plunged a very sensible thermometer, 
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