348 A COMPENDIUM OF 
mitic, stearic, lauric and myristic acids; also the 
volatile acids, acetic, formic, tiglinic, isobutyric 
and valertanic acids, which are said to exist as 
glycerine ethers. Croton oil is a drastic cathar- 
tic, and may be given in doses of % to x drop. 
Officinal preparation, LINIMENTUM CROTONIS, a 
powerful poison. 
Cera, Wax, Beeswax. Obtained from the 
hives of the apzs mellifica. Cuass, Insecta; or- 
DER, Hymenoptera. ‘This substance is found al- 
ready formed in the plant, and worked by the 
apis mellifica (honey bee) into compartments 
for the reception of the honey and the eggs of 
the queen bee, and for the temporary home of 
the /arve. The honeycomb is freed from the 
honey and then melted in water, and the liquid 
wax drawn off and placed in suitable vessels to 
cool. The Cera Alba, or white wax, is the yel- 
low wax bleached by exposure to light, air, 
and moisture, and occurs in round cakes or thin 
strips. Yellow wax contains cerin, or ceottc 
acid, myricin, or myricyl palmitate, which oc- 
curs in acicular crystals. The constituents are 
obtained by boiling alcohol. Wax melts at 
about 140 degrees F., and is not soluble in cold 
alcohol, but freely so in turpentine and oil; spe- 
cific gravity about 97. Wax is often adulter- 
ated with tallow and paraffin. It enters into 
combination with other remedies to form cer- 
ates, ointments and suppositories. The chem- 
istry of wax is complex, and the detection of its 
adulterants not an easy matter, and I therefore 
refer you to the more exhaustive works on the 
subject. 
