ON MYRTLE WAX, BEES WAX, &C* 131 



2. Alcohol, at the ordinary temperature of the atmofphere, Cold alcohol 



has no action upon it ; but 100 parts, by weight, of this fluid, o ° e ^ n0 jJ ota "P" 



when boiling, diflblve about five parts of the wax. Nearly fcoholfpatingly 



is depofited by the cooling of the alcohol j 4 Hill remains f u f- dil & ,v " h in . 

 r _ ' P m ' s part only, and 



pended ; this is flowly depofited in the courfe of a few days, depofits this by 

 or may be precipitated by the addition of water. This f u b- C0 ° ,in S andre - 

 ftance, when precipitated from the alcohol, is lighter coloured 

 than in its original ftate, and approaches more to a grey tinge. 

 Though the myrtle wax feems to be homogeneous in its tex- 

 ture and confiftence, it is not totally foluble in alcohol : about 

 ■J only of the whole is ac~te4 upon by this fluid, even when 

 boiling. The part which is infoluble in alcohol, when fepa- 

 rated from the reft of the mafs, exhibits a fomewhat darker 

 (hade of green than before the experiment ; the alcohol re- 

 mains completely colourlefs. 



3. Sulphuric ether, when at the common temperature ofOAi s * Ether 

 the atmofphere, diflblves the myrtle wax only in fmall qo^hqteErwMe 

 tity, but it acts upon it rapidly when boiling. On account of rapidly and 

 the tendency which the fluid has to evaporate, it is difficult tojHS-'k £,* 

 afcertain the exact proportion, but it feems to take up fome- poration refem- 

 what more than } of its own weight. The greateft part of bles f P ermaceti * 

 this is feparated as the ether cools, and the reft may be pre- 

 cipitated by the addition of water. The wax, after it has 



been diflblved in ether, is nearly colourlefs, while the fluid 

 aflumes a beautiful green hue. If the wax be not too abun- 

 dant, and the ether be furfered to evaporate flowly, the wax 

 is depofited on the fides of the glafc in acryftalline or lamel- 

 lated form ; in this ftate its texture approaches fomewhat to 

 that of fpermaceti. 



4. Rectified oil of turpentine at the temperature of the at- 01. Turpentine 

 mofphere foftens the wax, but does not feem capable of dif- afts butflightly, 

 folving it ; when affifted by a moderate heat, 100 grains of the 

 turpentine diflblve fix grains of the myrtle wax. The turpen- 

 tine acquires a light green tinge, part of the wax is feparated 



as the fluid cools, while part remains permanently diflblved 

 in it. 



5. When the myrtle wax is boiled with liquid cauftic pot- Pure P otaln [• 

 afti, the fluid becomes turbid, but after fome time the greateft colourlefs by 

 part of the wax rifes to the furface, nearly without colour, in boiling, and 



a flocculent form. A fmall quantity of it only remains dif- ^j&Vfinail 



K 2 folved part, which be- 



