1392
ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
• • • , ,»
insoluble in water, and slightly soluble only in alcohol, even ai <* C {ti
temperature. By saponification with potash, 100 parts of sp® 1 ,yield 60 - 96 parts of margaric and oleic acids, 40 - 6‘4 parts of et* ’
0 - 9 parts of a yellow extractiform substance. ^ric
Ethal is a crystalline solid, composed of C 16 H 1 ? O. By distillation withacid, it yields an oily substance called cetene, composed of CIS H 16 . So tnabe regarded as a hydrate of cetene.
Composition. —The ultimate analysis of pure spermaceti or cetl ^j, u atemade by Chevreul (Gmelin, Handb. d. Chem. ii. 440). The P r0 p ul) iaScomposition of the same substance has been ascertained byand Peligot {Ann. de Chim. et de Phys. t. lxxii. p. 5).
ilia?
Dumas and Peligot's Analysis.
Carbon . 81 ‘660
Hydrogen. 12-862
Oxygen . 5-478
Margaric acid ..Oleic acid ....Cetene .
At... 2 ... 2 ... 3 .
Eq.Wt.
* ’ lrSt ) ( Margarate of Cetene. •
’ ‘ 1 2S r or i Binoleate of Cetene • •
Water.
.. 3 .
.. 27 ) ^vvaxer .
Cetine.
At.
£<!•
,1ft.
.flt.
Physiological Effects and Uses. — Emollient and ^ exa tb eInternally it has been employed in irritation and inflammationalimentary canal (as diarrhoea and dysentery) and of the bronchi jtsbrane (catarrh); but its internal administration is now nearly °. guts-principal medicinal use is in the preparation of cerates and oin ,
Administration. — When employed internally it is generally eS j]j <**in the form of an emulsion {spermaceti mixture) made with the :egg. Or it may be made with mucilage.
1. Ceratum Cetacei, L. Ceratum simplex , E. UnguentuM pjl,
D. (Spermaceti, 3ij.; White Wax, Sviij.; Olive Oil , Oj. _\V'b jt8
6 parts ; Bleached Bees’-wax, 3 parts ; Spermaceti, 1 party h‘jj ea i ^Wax, lb.ss. ; Spermaceti, lb.j.; Prepared Hogslard,lb.iij• ^ etl it* 5oil gently, add the wa”. and spermaceti, stir the whole briskly " ^®fluid, and continue the agitation as it cools,” E .)—If cold oil he e p'l* athe melted wax and spermaceti, the preparation is apt to be , , v itPlumpy. As the white wax of commerce is always largely 1111spermaceti, this preparation has never the precise composition ^
by the College. Practically, however, this is of no consequent g jjpreparation is employed as a mild and simple dressing f° r b ’’excoriated surfaces. -tt/aN
2 . Unguentum Cetacei, L. (Spermaceti, 3vj.; White * ^ ?**’Olive Oil , fSiij. Having melted them together with a slo^ ^gp^assiduously until they become cold).—A softer preparation thceding, but used in the same cases.
The substance called Ambergris {Ambra grisea) is procured from JJ. co un tr UpSperm Whale {Phil. Trans, vol. Ixxiii. p. 226, for the year 1783). I n a npc ar j e (ifused as a perfume only: on the continent it is employed in medicine,the indurated feeces (perhaps somewhat altered by disease) of the animal. dn et l £&supra cit. p. 135) collected some of the semi-fluid fteces, and found that sU bshad all the properties of ambergris. It is a solid, opaque, greyish, st r ia - ve d '*having a pleasant musk-like odour, and which is supposed to be op*? ¥
Squid {Sepia moschata ) on which the animal feeds; and in support y* jj e d >must be mentioned that the horny beaks of this animal are found i®