Collier's New Encyclopedia

A complete general encyclopedia of 1921 — the world as it was understood just after the Great War, from Aachen to Zwingli, across twelve volumes and six thousand pages.

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Spermaceti

a neutral, inodorous, and nearly tasteless, fatty substance, extracted from the oily matter of the head of the sperm whale by filtration and treatment with potash-ley. It is white, brittle, soft to the touch, sp. gr., 0.943 at 15°, melts from 38° to 47°, and is chiefly used in ointments and cerates. Spermaceti was formerly given as a medicine; now it is chiefly employed externally as an emollient and in the preparation of a blistering paper.

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