Sperm oil

“ Neatsfoot-oil is produced by boiling the feet of cattle. Sperm-oil and other fish-oils are obtained from different varieties of fish and sea animals, as the whale, seal, cod, shark or herring. The uses of the different oils are very numerous: as food and in the preparation of food, in soap-making, painting, machinery and in a thousand other ways they are of great importance. There is a large class of substances known as the essential or volatile oils which resemble the fats somewhat in their properties, particularly in not mixing with water. ”

“ Whale-oil is principally used in oiling wools for combing, in batching flax and other vegetable fibres, in currying and chamois leather-making, and as a lubricant for machinery. Sperm-oil is obtained from the cavity in the head of the sperm-whale, and from several smaller receptacles throughout the body of the animal During the life of the whale the contents of these cavities are in a fluid condition, but no sooner is the "head matter" removed than the solid wax spermaceti separates in white crystalline flakes, leaving the oil a clear yellow fluid having a fishy odour. ”

“ In truth, a mature man who uses hair-oil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere. As a general rule, he can’t amount to much in his totality.
But the only thing to be considered here, is this—what kind of oil is used at coronations? Certainly it cannot be olive oil, nor macassar oil, nor castor oil, nor bear’s oil, nor train oil, nor cod-liver oil. What then can it possibly be, but sperm oil in its unmanufactured, unpolluted state, the sweetest of all oils? ”

“ The valuable contents of ‘the case’ are brought on board by means of buckets, and are very carefully preserved, being known as ‘head-matter.’ A large whale of the Pacific seas will yield from seventy to ninety, or even on occasion a hundred barrels of oil. Sperm oil is more valuable than train oil, the produce of the Greenland fish. In a trade circular, we find as we write, ‘crude sperm’ quoted at sixty-four pounds ten shillings per tun, the other sort being set down as ranging from twenty-seven to thirty-two pounds. But the prices are ever varying according to supply and demand. ”

“ Spon, in his Encyclopedia of the Arts, gives his views to the effect that "The best oil is that which has the greatest adhesion to metallic surfaces and the least cohesion in its own particles. In this respect fine mineral oils stand first, sperm oil second, neatsfoot oil third. Consequently the best mineral oils are the best for light bearings. The best oil to give body to fine mineral oils is sperm oil."
4. "Mineral oils do not absorb oxygen," and consequently do not "gum" or become viscous.—Thurston.
5. Mineral oils never become rancid in any climate, as they possess no fatty acids. ”

“ If the machine were operated constantly or regularly every day, probably sperm oil could not be improved on. The difficulty is, however, that a family sewing machine will frequently be allowed to stand untouched for weeks at a time and will then be expected to run as smoothly as though just oiled. Under this kind of treatment almost any oil other than petroleum oil will become gummy. What is known in the trade as a “neutral” oil, of high viscosity, would probably answer better for this purpose than anything else. ”

“ A curious fact has been disclosed with reference to the oxidation of this and similar oils. If such an oil be mixed with lard oil, olive oil, or sperm oil, it thickens by oxidation, but is perfectly soluble. Such a mixture is largely used in weaving or spinning. Commercial samples of linseed oil, when cold-drawn, have a much higher iodine absorption, probably due to the same cause. Oils extracted by CS2 are very much higher than the same oils, especially if hot-pressed.—Chem. News.
THE PYRO DEVELOPER WITH METABISULPHITE OF POTASH. By Dr. ”

“ When pure and fresh they usually have little or no taste or smell; but, when exposed to the air, they become darker in color, have a disagreeable taste and smell, and are called rancid. As examples of vegetable oils we have cottonseed-oil, linseed-oil, olive-oil, almond-oil and cocoa-butter. Linseed is brought largely from Russia and India; Africa supplies palm-oil; India and the Pacific islands cocoanut-oil; while the best olive-oil is brought from Italy. In animal oils the principal ones are butter, lard, tallow, neatsfoot-oil and sperm-oil. ”

“ I only know that, when a sperm whale is killed, they make oil out of the fat part as they do of ours; but the Sperms have a sort of cistern in their heads, full of stuff like cream, and rose-colored. They cut a hole in the skull, and dip it out; and sometimes get sixteen or twenty barrels. This is made into what you call spermaceti candles. We don't have any such nonsense about us ”

“ For instance, some thin mineral oils were found to be quite as valuable as, and in some cases superior to, sperm; and this was caused by the lips on the sides, which prevented the oil from running off the bearing when an increased fluidity was caused by friction, and by any slight elevation of temperature. This is a very important quality in lubricating oils, probably next to the capacity to resist oxidation, the most important to be criticised by those who wish to value a lubricant. ”

“ No attempt is made to separate the oil and spermaceti beyond boiling the “head matter,” as it is called, by itself first, and putting it into casks which are not filled up with the body oil. Spermaceti exists in all the oil, especially that from the dorsal hump; but it is left for the refiners ashore to extract and leave the oil quite free from any admixture of the wax-like substance, which causes it to become solid at temperatures considerably above the freezing-point. ”

“ If the spermaceti is not taken out pretty completely, it chars in the try-pots, and darkens the oil, which lessens its value. Head oil is the lightest in color, and the most valuable, and it is always kept separate. ”

“ I generally advise equal parts of prepared lard and of spermaceti cerate to be blended together to make an ointment. The spermaceti cerate gives a little more consistence to the lard, which, in warm weather, especially, is a great advantage.
Another valuable remedy for burns is, “carron oil;” which is made by mixing equal parts of linseed oil and lime-water together in a bottle, and shaking it up before using it.
Cold applications, such as cold water, cold vinegar and water, and cold lotions, are most injurious, and, in many cases, even dangerous. ”

“ Also, if the glycerol addition could be made soon after the dilution with egg yolk-citrate extender at room temperature, time would be gained in processing the semen for use. Since aging in vitro is known to reduce the fertilizing ability of sperm, every effort should be made to keep the processing time at a minimum. ”

“ Effect of glycerol additions on oxygen uptake of diluted semen at 37° C. The effect of adding glycerol to diluted semen on oxygen consumption of the sperm was tested in a Warburg apparatus, using semen diluted with an extender consisting of one part egg yolk and one part 2.9 percent sodium citrate dihydrate. The yolk-citrate extender was added to the semen at a rate which brought the sperm concentration in 0.5 milliliter to 200 million to 500 million. ”

“ We are, as yet, ignorant for the most part of the causes of this lapse of fertilization. Some light has been thrown on it, however, by recent chemical experiments (the effect of sugar and other water-absorbing solutions) , in which we have succeeded in parthenogenetically developing unfertilized ova.
In the higher animals the complete maturity and development of the specific form are requisite for reproduction, but in many of the lower animals it has been observed recently that ovula and sperm-cells are even formed by the younger specimens in the larva stage. ”

“ The human spermatozoon measures about one six-hundredth of an inch in length. It is composed of protoplasm, the substance of which all living creatures are composed. The spermatozoa are believed to be developed from a parent sperm-cell, by the process of segmentation or subdivision, which process is common to all cell-life. The numerous spermatozoa dwell in a gelatinous substance, which, mingling with the other fluidic secretions of the glands of the male, constitutes the male seminal fluid, sperm, or semen, which is ejaculated by the male during the process of copulation. ”

“ Hydrogen peroxide is known to be detrimental to sperm. The addition of glycerol to diluted semen first increased oxygen uptake and then reduced it. Since a reduction in sperm survival followed, some harmful action must have taken place with the addition of glycerol at 37° C. To test whether this action could be due to the release of hydrogen peroxide as occurs in certain bacteria, glycerol with catalase—the enzyme which breaks down hydrogen peroxide—was added to a portion of 8 diluted semen samples and the oxygen uptake was recorded. ”

“ In routine artificial breeding, it is common to add extenders to semen so that one milliliter of diluted semen may contain only 10 million living sperm cells. (This number still insures optimal fertility.) Frequently the addition of 100 or more parts of the yolk extender to each part of the original semen sample is possible without reducing the sperm numbers below 10 million per milliliter. No one knew if this process of dilution would affect the resistance of bull sperm to freezing. The effect of various rates of dilution on the freezability of bull sperm was tested with 10 semen samples. ”

“ Sodio-chloride of gold, 10 gr.; lard, 4 dr. In scrofulous and syphilitic swellings, indurations, ulcers, &c.
Ointment of Spermace′ti. Syn. Emollient dressing, Simple ointment, White o.; Unguentum cetacei (B. P., Ph. L. & D.) , U. spermatis ceti, L. Prep. 1. (Ph. L.) Spermaceti, 5 oz.; white wax, 14 dr.; olive oil, 1 pint, or q. s.; melt them together by a gentle heat, and stir the mixture until cold.
2. (Ph. D.) White wax, 1⁄2 lb.; spermaceti, 1 lb.; prepared lard, 3 lbs.; as the last.
3. (B. P.) Spermaceti, 5; white wax, 2; almond oil, 20, or a sufficiency; stir constantly, until it cools. ”

“ When intercourse takes place, if no preventive is employed, the semen is deposited in the woman's vagina. The ovule is not in the vagina, but is in the womb, farther up, or perhaps in the tube on its way to the womb. As steel is attracted to the magnet, the sperm of the male starts on its way to seek the ovum. Several of these sperm cells start, but only one enters the ovum and is absorbed into it. This process is called fertilization, conception or impregnation. ”

“ It is only within a few years that closer study has shown that the whole process of fertilization is extremely simple, and entirely without special mystery. Essentially, it consists merely in the fact that the male sperm-cell coalesces with the female egg-cell. Owing to its sinuous movements, the very mobile sperm-cell finds its way to the female egg-cell, penetrates the membrane of the latter by a perforating motion, and coalesces with its cell material. ”

“ Do not be afraid to assist the cleansing by introducing the first finger with the tube and washing out the semen from the folds of the membrane. One can soon learn to tell by the feeling when it is sufficiently clean. It is said, that the French women are the most thorough douchers in the world, which helps greatly in keeping the organs in a clean and healthy condition, as well as preventing the male sperm from reaching the womb to mate with the ovum. ”

“ Spermaceti Ointment.—This consists of a quarter of an ounce of white wax, three-quarters of an ounce of spermaceti, and three ounces of olive oil, melted as before. This is the common dressing for a blister.
447. Elder-flower Ointment.—This is the mildest, blandest, and most cooling ointment which can be used; and it is very suitable for anointing the face or neck when sun-burnt. It is made of fresh elder-flowers, stripped from the stalks, two pounds of which are simmered in an equal quantity of hog's-lard till [114] they become crisp ”

“ Spirit produces the same effect in those which are made with yolk or mucilage; and acids in those made with an alkali. The addition of these substances to emulsions should be therefore avoided as much as possible. Emulsions of wax, spermaceti, oil of turpentine, and balsam of copaiba, are the most readily and completely formed with yolk of egg. Volatile oils are more readily made into emulsions if mixed with an equal volume of some simple fixed oil, before proceeding to operate on them. Scammony is generally formed into an emulsion with milk; and resin of jalap, with almonds and water. ”

“ In the egg of purpuratus the “fertilizin” reac­tion ceases when the jelly surrounding the egg is dissolved by an acid and the eggs are repeatedly washed; yet such eggs can easily be fertilized by sperm.
Lillie does not assume that the “fertilizin” causes an agglutina­tion between egg and spermato­zoön—we should assent to such an assump­tion—but that the “fertilizin” acts like an “amboceptor” between egg and spermato­zoön, the latter being the complement, the former the antigen. The pathologist would probably object to this interpreta­tion since no “amboceptor” is needed for agglutina­tion. ”

“ To the secretion is then added the product of the vesicles, which contributes markedly to its fluid content, nourishes the sperms, and supplies the ferment which induces clotting of the semen when ejaculated. This is very important because the clot formed in the vagina protects the delicate spermatozoa from the hostile acid vaginal secretion. The prostate likewise adds bulk and nourishing substances, besides stimulating the spermatozoa to fuller and more lasting motility. ”