382 Mr. B. C. Brodie on the Chemical Nature 



I prepared also the silver salt of this acid. The method 

 used for its preparation was the same as that used in the case 

 of the cerotic acid from bees'- wax. 



I. 0-3775 grm. of this salt gave 0-862 C0 2 and 0*34-9 HO. 



II. 0-3625 grm. of this salt gave 0-833 C0 2 and 0*3385 

 HO, which correspond in 100 parts to — 



I. II. 



Carbon . . . 62-27 62*74 



Hydrogen . . 10-27 10*38 



Oxygen and silver 27*46 26*88 



100*00 100*00 



I. 0-654 grm. of the same gave 0-135 grm. of silver. 



II. 0-629 grm. of the same gave 0-1305 grm. of silver. 

 These correspond in parts per cent, to — 



I. II. 



Silver . . . 20-64 20*74 



The formula of the silver salt of cerotic acid requires — 



In 100 parts. 

 C^ . . . . 62-66 

 Hga . . . . 10-55 

 4 . . . . 6*19 

 Ag . . . . 20*90 



100*00 



Sulphate of the Oxide of Cerotyle. 



When cerotine is treated in the cold with concentrated sul- 

 phuric acid, it is only acted on by the acid partially and at the 

 surface. If the action be increased by heat, a reddening of 

 the mass and decomposition take place. If however the cero- 

 tine be taken in a state of fine granular division, as obtained 

 by crystallization out of aether, and in this condition acted upon 

 by the acid, all decomposition is avoided and a perfect com- 

 bination takes place of the acid with the cerotine. The gra- 

 nular crystals are to be dried between blotting-paper, and then 

 digested with the sulphuric acid, in the cold, for two or three 

 hours, sufficient acid being added to render the mixture a 

 rather fluid paste. The mass is to be thrown into cold water, 

 and washed out with the same on a filter. As long as the 

 solution is acid the wash-water will go through perfectly clear, 

 but when the acid is washed out it becomes slightly turbid. 

 After the adhering acid has been thus removed, the substance 

 may be dried in vacuo, and, when perfectly dry, dissolved in 

 aether and crystallized out of that fluid. In this condition it 

 is perfectly soluble even in water, and dissolves with the great- 



