ON THE PROPOLIS OF MASTIC OF BEES. ^.Q 



a third quantity of alcohol was added to the marc, then boiled 

 for a few minutes : and filtered quite hot, Six portions of al- 

 cohol were fucceffively added to the marc and boiled : finally 

 to deprive it of the fat matters it retained from fragments of 

 bees, as well as fome vegetable fubftances and grains of fand, 

 boiling fulphuric ether was poured on it, and the mafs was 

 prefled through a fine ftrainer. The refidue dried, weighed 

 J 4 grammes. 



To obtain the fubftance which had been dhTolved by the Precipitate by 

 alcohol, the whole quantity that had been employed in the C0>m8 * 

 different warnings was collected, and paffed through a fine 

 ftrainer, which flopped all the matter precipitated by the cold. 

 This refidue was wrapped in unfized paper and prefled ; when 

 dried and melted, it weighed 14 grammes. 



All the alcohol was then diftilled and reduced to three- Diftillation gave 

 fourths of its quantity. The liquor which came over had an xSwfoStito 

 aromatic odour ; but it did not render water turbid, nor was which remain- 

 it acid. What remained in the retort was of a deeper colour. ed ln tne retort 

 t • • i ... , r , . , , g a "-'e a refinous 



its precipitate by water was ropy like the relins which areob- precipitate by 



tained by the fame means. By diluting this liquor with water water « The 

 and boiling it, a refiniform mafs was obtained on cooling, of a 

 red brown colour, femi-tranfparent and very brittle, which 

 weighed 57 grammes. The water in which this matter had 

 been diflblved, contained an acid. 



This refinous mafs, or pure propolis melts readily on the Properties of 

 fire: it yields by diftillation a volatile oil, white and of a very the refin. 

 agreeable fmell. The fixed part then acquires a deeper colour 

 and becomes harder: it is foluble in fixed and volatile oils. 

 It is a true refin, very fimilar to balfam of Peru, of which it 

 contains the acid. 



The 14 grammes of precipitate produced by cooling, were The firft pre- 

 true wax, poflefiing all its properties. It remains to be known ci P ita te was 

 whether this wax is actually mixed with the propolis by the 

 bees ; or whether, in collecting the latter with too little care 

 the wax is not united to the refin. 



grammes. 



100 

 Vol. V..— May. E Memoir 



