ANALYSIS  OF  FALL  STRAINED  SPERM  OIL. 
3 
ELEMENTARY  ANALYSIS  OF  SO-CALLED  «  FALL  STRAINED 
SPERM  OIL." 
By  Edward  R.  Squibb,  M.  D.,  U.  S.  Navy. 
Assistant  Director  Naval  Laboratory,   New  York. 
In  examining  a  new  artificial  oil,  offered  as  a  substitute  for 
the  so-called  sperm  oils  in  use  by  the  different  departments  of 
the  General  Government  for  light  houses,  and  for  lubricating 
machinery,  it  became  necessary  to  make  an  analysis  of  the 
so-called  sperm  oi),  at  present  generally  used  for  these  purposes, 
as  a  standard  for  comparison. 
As  the  results  of  this  analysis  differ  materially  from  any  of 
the  few  to  be  found  in  the  usual  chemical  authorities — and  as  it 
is  later  than  any  that  I  know  of,  and  appertains  to  the  oil 
now  in  common  use,  as  "Fall  Strained  Sperm  Oil,"  I  offer  it  for 
publication,  that  it  may  be  available  to  those  whose  research  may 
be  in  this  direction. 
The  physical  properties  of  the  oil  examined  were  as  follows  : 
Clear,  pale  yellow,  slightly  tenacious,  with  the  fishy  odor  rather 
of  whale  than  sperm  oil.  Its  viscidity  was  found  to  be  11.09, 
compared  with  distilled  water  as  a  standard  of  unity. 
Its  specific  gravity  was  .881.  At  44°  F.  became  opalescent., 
and  at  40°  opaque.  At  80°  too  thick  to  pour  well,  and  at  8° 
of  the  consistence  of  tallow,  nearly. 
(Winter  strained  sperm  oil  remains  transparent  when  poured, 
upon  ice  at  temperatures  above  freezing.) 
Although  furnished  upon  contract,  as  "  pure  sperm  oil,  fail 
strained,"  it  is  probably  quite  free  from  any  admixture  of  pure 
sperm  oil,  as  obtained  from  the  head  of  the  sperm  whale,  but  is 
rather  an  admixture  of  the  blubber  oils  of  the  sperm  and  com- 
mon whales.  It  burns  with  a  clear  white  steady  flame  at  first, 
but  even  in  lamps  with  a  strong  draught,  requires  frequent 
trimming.  In  the  Carcel  lamp  (used  in  light  houses  generally,) 
it  burns  with  less  need  of  frequent  trimming,  but  leaves  a  resi- 
due that  cannot  be  used  for  illumination,  and  which  must  be 
removed  from  the  lamps  from  time  to  time. 
The  quantity  analysed  was  '2033  grammes. 
