372 
Dugong  Oil. 
{  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
\     Aug.  1,  1872. 
found  in  very  large  numbers  in  the  waters  of  Northern  Queensland, 
and  more  infrequently  in  the  southern  portions  as  far  as  Moreton 
Bay,  beyond  which  it  does  not  appear  to  go.  It  is  also  said  by  vari- 
ous authorities  to  be  found  in  the  Indian  Archipelago  and  Indian  seas 
as  well  as  at  Mauritius.  It  grazes  on  the  thick  grass  which  in  those 
warm  latitudes  grows  on  the  shallows  between  the  islands  and  along 
the  coasts,  where  it  usually  feeds  in  from  one  to  four  fathoms  of  water, 
coming  up  to  breathe  at  short  intervals.  It  is  not  amphibious,  but 
comes  in  and  goes  out  with  the  tide,  feeding  only  during  high  water. 
Like  most  other  animals  of  this  order,  it  is  gregarious,  and  vast  mobs 
of  many  hundreds  and  even  thousands  are  frequently  seen. 
The  dugong  varies  in  length  from  seven  to  twelve  feet,  and  its 
weight  may  be  averaged  at  from  six  to  seven  hundred  weight.  The 
head  is  not  unlike  that  of  an  ox  lacking  the  horns,  while  the  skin 
more  nearly  resembles  that  of  the  pig.  The  dam  or  cow  brings  forth 
its  young  alive  and  suckles  it  at  the  breast,  holding  it  there  with  her 
arm-like  flipper.  All  authorities  join  in  attesting  the  wonderful  at- 
tachment the  female  dugong  has  for  her  young,  so  much  so  that  if  the 
calf  be  killed,  the  mother  makes  no  attempt  to  escape,  but  falls  an 
easy  prey.  The  skin  averages  from  one  to  two  inches  in  thickness, 
and  the  bones  are  perfectly  solid  and  very  similar  to  ivory,  being 
very  heavy,  probably  to  assist  the  animal  in  sinking  easily  to  its  pas- 
ture. The  fat  meat  from  which  the  oil  is  procured  lies  next  to  the 
skin,  and  is  not  unfrequently  mixed  with  layers  of  lean,  giving  it  a 
perfect  resemblance  to  bacon,  like  which  it  also  tastes.  Some  eaten 
at  the  dinner  before  alluded  to  in  the  exhibition  was  pronounced  to  be 
very  fair  ham.  The  lean  meat  is  said  to  be  very  similar  to  tender 
lean  beef,  and  is  readily  sold  in  its  salt  state  as  a  breakfast  relish  in 
Queensland. 
It  will  be  apparent  that  an  article  having  the  advantage  claimed 
for  dugong  oil,  that  it  is  capable  of  being  taken  as  an  article  of  food, 
will  command  a  large  sale  if  only  its  medicinal  properties  are  such  as 
is  asserted.  As  yet  there  has  been  no  opportunity  for  testing  the  oil 
to  any  extent  in  England,  but  several  very  strong  testimonials  as  to 
its  value  as  a  medicine,  given  by  colonial  medical  men,  are  published 
by  the  firm  interested  in  its  sale.  In  the  pamphlet  are  narrated  cases 
of  dyspepsia,  debility,  consumption,  liver  complaint,  indigestion,  etc., 
which  are  stated  to  have  been  cured  by  its  use.  The  oil  certainly  de- 
serves a  trial  by  the  profession  with  a  view  to  arriving  at  its  actual 
alue. 
