AMBERGRIS, in chemistry, is a sub stance found floating on the sea, near the coasts of India, Africa, and Brazil, usual ly in small pieces, but sometimes in mass es of 50 or 10:) pounds in weight. Vari ous opinions have been entertained con cerning its origin. Some affirmed that it was the concrete juice of a tree ; others thought it a bitumen ; but it is now esta blished, that it is a concretion, formed in the stomach or intestines of the physeter maciocephalus, or spermaceti whale. Am bergris, when pure, is a light soft sub stance which swims on water. Its speci fic gravity varies from 0.78 to 0.844. Its colour is ash-grey, with brownish yellow and white streaks. It has an agreeable smell, which improves by keeping. Its taste is insipid. When heated to 122°, it melts without frothing ; if the heat be in creased to 212°, it is volatili zed completely in a white smoke, leaving only a trace of charcoal. When distilled, we obtain a whi tish acid liquid and a light volatile oil ; a bulky charcoal remains behind. It is in soluble in water. Acids have little action on it. Weak sulphuric acid occasions no change ; hut, when concentrated, it de velopes a little charcoal. Nitric acid dis
solves it, giving out at the same time ni trous gas, carbonic acid, and azotic gas. /Vim wnish liquid is formed, which leaves, when evaporated to dryness, a brittle brown substance, possessing the proper ties of a resin. The alkalies dissolve it by the assistance of heat, and form a soap soluble in water. Both the fixed and vola tile oils dissolve ambergris. It is soluble also in ether and alcohol. It possesses the properties of the salty matter into which the muscles are converted by nitric acid, and which makes its appearance when dead bodies are allowed to putrefy in great numbers together. This substance has been .distinguished by the name of adipo cire,ftom its resemblance both to fat and wax. The quantity of it in ambergris amounts to 52.2oparts. According to the analysis of ambergris made by Bouillon La Grange, it is composed of 527 adipocire 30.8 resin 11.1 benzoic acid 5.4 charcoal 1.000