AMBERGRISE, or Grey Amber, is a solid, opake, bituminous substance, of a greyish or ash colour, usually intermixed with yellow and blackish veins. This concrete is found floating on the sea, or thrown on the shores, and is produced in the greatest quantity by the Indian Ocean. It has been sometimes also discovered by fishermen in the bellies of whales, in lumps of various sizes, from half an ounce to one hundred pounds in weight. Hence it is supposed to be an animal production. Clusius, however, asserts that it is an indurated and indigested part of the food collected by these fish, and forms a similar concretion with that of the bezoar found in the stomach of other animals. When pure, it softens between the fingers; melts into an oil, in a moderate degree of heat, and, in a stronger one, proves highly volatile. Slightly warmed, it emits a fragrant odour, and when set on fire, smells like amber. It dissolves, though with difficulty, in spirits of wine, and essential oils, but not in those which are expressed from vegetables, nor in water.
In Asia, and part of Africa, ambergrise is not only used in medicine, and as an article of perfumery, but also applied to the purposes of cookery, by adding it as a spice to several dishes. It is valued by the Turks as an aphrodisiac, and erroneously supposed to promote longevity.
In this country, it was formerly esteemed a cordial, and to be of great service in disorders of the head, and nervous complaints; but it now chiefly serves as an agreeable perfume, and is certainly free from many of these inconveniencies which usually accompany substances of this description.
Ambergrise may be considered as genuine, when it emits a fragrant smell, on thrusting a hot needle into its substance, and melts like fat, of an uniform consistence.