1 34" EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS 



than the myrtle wax j this fluid, when heated, feems only to 

 take up about ^ of its weight of bees wax. Cauftic potafli 

 exhibits the fame phenomena with bees wax as with the pro- 

 dud of the myrica cerifera ; it was converted into the fapo- 

 paceous ftate, and became foluble in warm water. It appeared 

 however that the action was lefs violent, and'the change lefs 

 complete than in the former cafe. Ammoniac, when boiling, 

 readily forms with bees wax an emulfion, in fome refpefts re- 

 fembling that produced by the fame fubftance with the myrtle 

 wax. As the mixture cools, the greateft part of the wax rifes 

 to the furface in a flocculent form ; it appears to have fo far 

 contracted a union with the alcali as to have its texture and 

 odour deftroyed, and its fufibility and inflammability dimi- 

 nifhed; yet it is little, if at all, foluble in water. 



Spermaceti, 

 Spermaceti : Is One property of this fubftance, which obvioiifly diftinguiflies 

 than ekhe^of lt from thofe alreadv defcribed, is the cryftalline texture which 

 the preceding, it conftantly aflTumes. It is more fufible than either of the 

 fubftances which we have examined ; but refpeding the pre- 

 cife temperature at which it becomes liquid, there is a confi- 

 derable difference of opinion. Fourcroy * ftates it to be at 

 the 98th degree, or a little lower f; Mr. Nicholfon j fup- 

 pofes it to be at the 133d degree; I have found the melting 

 point of fpermaceti to be uniformly 112°; there may perhaps 

 be a real difference in the fpecimens that have been employed. 

 Sparingly folu- Like the two kinds of wax, it is foluble in alcohol, though 

 e in a co o , ver ^ fp ar j n g|y . according to my experiments, it required a 

 quantity of boiling alcohol equal to 150 times the weight of 

 the fpermaceti to diflblve it ; a proportion which nearly co- 

 incides with the eftimate of Fourcroy : the whole is precipi- 

 rapidly by hot tated as the fluid cools. It is rapidly diflblved by warm ether, 

 * ther > by cooling it is precipitated fo plentifully, as in appearance to 



convert the whole into a folid cryftallized mafs. Spermaceti 

 and oil of tur- is alfo diffolved with great facility by> oil of turpentine gently 

 pentine. heated, but is depofitcd from it as it cools. It unites very- 



More ftrongly readily with cauftic potafli, and the compound is completely 



attacked by pot- 

 afli than m. or m E Math> chim ; e Art# B]anc de Baleint. 

 b. wax* .. 



f Annates de Chim. torn. vii. 192. 



| Nicholfon'* Journal, Vol. 1. 4to, p. 70. 



foluble 



