An Empyreumatic Oil.

 

Animal substance boiled in water throw out upon the surface a liquid oil or a more gross fat, which congeals in the cold. At the same time, a considerable portion of them is dissolved by the water into a viscous tenacious liquor, which upon growing cold forms a tough transparent substance. What remains is an earthy matter.

The oil or fat of different animals seems to differ only in subtility or tenuity of parts. Upon exposing the several sorts to the fire in close vessels, they all yield an aqueous liquor, an empyreumatic oil, sometimes a small portion of volatile salt, and leave behind a black spongy mass which is resolved, by the action of fire and air conjointly, into a thick smoke, and into a white earthy matter. 

That part of animals which is soluble in water, being distilled, yields a large portion of phlegm, some oil, and a considerable quantity of volatile salt, a black matter remaining like the former. 

Animals distilled entire yield the same substances as their extracts made with water, but in different proportions; the quantity of oil and earthy matter is much larger, but the volatile salt much less. 

Animal oils unite with fixed alkaline salt into a soap, in the same manner as those of vegetables. 

The more liquid soon putrify if kept in a warm place, and then yeild on distillation a notable wuantity of volatile salt, while the more solid are not easily changed.

All sorts of animals distilled from fixed alkalies, or calces of bones, yield a large quantity of alkaline salt; drawn from quicklime, they grow more transparent and penetrating, but yield no salt.