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Scrape into an earthen vessel one ounce and a half of spermaceti and half an ounce of white wax; add six drachms of pounded camphor, and four tablespoonsful of the best olive oil. Let it stand near the fire till it dissolves, stirring it well when liquid. Before the hands are washed, rub them thoroughly with a little of the cerate, then wash them as usual.
In 1686 Governor Andros petitioned for a commission for a voyage after "Sperma-Coeti Whales," but not till the middle of the following century did spermaceti become of common enough use to bring forth such notices as this, in the Boston Independent Advertiser of January, 1749: "Sperma-Ceti Candles, exceeding all others for Beauty Sweetness of Scent when Extinguished.
Place the bright flame of a spermaceti candle before a black object in the night; look steadily at it for a short time, till it is observed to become somewhat paler; and on closing the eyes, and covering them carefully, but not so as to compress them, the image of the blazing candle will continue distinctly to be visible. Look steadily, for a short time, at a window in a dark day, as in Exp. 2.
It separates on cooling, from the liquid oil, in crystalline flakes, forming great masses, which are purified by re-melting and cooling. In early times the fine waxy, flaky material thus obtained was known in samples of a few ounces, and sold by apothecaries. It was known that it came from a whale, and was believed to be the seed or sperm of that animal, hence its name "spermaceti."
After a wail of sorrow for this inhuman neglect, he bursts into a gush of gratitude for the private generosity which relieved his wants at the last moment by the following list of supplies: "24 bottles best claret, 12 ditto Madeira, 12 ditto porter, 12 ditto cider, 12 ditto rum, 2 large loaves white sugar, 2 gallons brandy, 6 bottles muscadel, 2 gallons lemon-juice, 2 gallons ground coffee, 2 large Westphalia hams, 2 salted bullocks' tongues, 1 bottle Durham mustard, 6 dozen spermaceti candles."
"I was on a whaling expedition up north " "Whaling?" "You!" "Yes, yes, I, Jack. What is there surprising in that?" "Nothing, sir," responded young Jack; "only I was not aware you had ever done any thing in that line." "Now, how can you expect to know all my past career, my dear boy?" "Of course, sir." "Whaling, I repeat. We were chasing an enormous spermaceti whale.
The nature or species of the fish was easily enough determined by the spouts; the right whale throwing up two high arched jets of water, while the spermaceti throws but a single, low, bushy one. It was not long ere the boats of the two captains came abreast of each other, and within speaking distance.
Philologically considered, it is absurd. Some centuries ago, when the Sperm whale was almost wholly unknown in his own proper individuality, and when his oil was only accidentally obtained from the stranded fish; in those days spermaceti, it would seem, was popularly supposed to be derived from a creature identical with the one then known in England as the Greenland or Right Whale.
CHOPPED LIPS. Put into a new tin saucepan, a quarter of an ounce of benjamin, storax, and spermaceti, two pennyworth of alkanet root, a large juicy apple chopped, a bunch of black grapes bruised, a quarter of a pound of unsalted butter, and two ounces of bees wax. Simmer them together till all be dissolved, and strain it through a linen.
The ear should be frequently fomented with a decoction of white poppies, and to this should follow the Goulard lotion; and, after that, if necessary, a solution of alum should be applied. To the soreness or scabby eruption, which extends higher up the ear, olive oil or spermaceti ointment may be applied.
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