WAXES. 161 



is fused with a very little nitric acid. To remove still further 

 all the olein, Morfit proposed mixing it with a little oil of ter- 

 pentine, and then pressing. 



See Morfit's " Chemistry Applied to the Manufacture of 

 Soap and Candles." According to Heintz (Ber. d. Berl. 

 Acad.) stearin from mutton-suet becomes transparent at 

 124-126°, but does not fuse before 144°. 



Candles of Fats and Rosin. — A process is described in the 

 Rep. Pat. Inv. Oct. 1850, for mixing some 20-30 per cent, 

 of rosin with fatty bodies in the melted state, by adding sul- 

 phuric acid gradually, heating it from 12 to 18 hours so as to 

 evolve sulphurous acid, and then submitting the dark-brown 

 crystalline solid to distillation by heated steam. The solid 

 and oily portions are then separated by pressure. 



Wax, Test of Purity. — To test for the presence of stearic 

 acid, Geith pours over 2 drachms wax 1 oz. lime-water diluted 

 with 1 oz. water. If the acid be present, the liquid loses its 

 alkalinity and remains clear. Buchner proposes fusibility 

 and specific gravity, as an approximate test of the presence 

 of stearic acid or tallow. Tallow fuses at 108°, yellow wax 

 at 142°. (Buchner's Rep. xliv.) 



Waxes. — Our knowledge of the composition and alliances 

 of the waxes has been much enlarged by Brodie's investiga- 

 tions of common beeswax and Chinese wax. He found com- 

 mon wax to consist of cerotic acid (formerly cerin), soluble in 

 hot alcohol, of the composition C5JI54O4, therefore of the fat 

 acid series Cnll^O^ ; and of palmitate of meliss-ether (for- 

 merly myricin). By saponifying myricin he obtained palmitic 

 acid and melissin, which last has the formula CgoHg^Og 

 (=CaHn + a03), or that of an alcohol. By the action of lime 

 and potassa on melissin he obtained the corresponding acid, 

 melissic acid CgoHg^O^. Upon examining Chinese wax, he 

 found it to consist chiefly of cerotate of cerote-ether, 

 =05^11550, Cj^HggOj, for by saponification he obtained cerotic 

 acid Cg^H^^O^, and cerotin (the alcohol) Q^^l^Jd^ (CnHn + ^O,). 

 (PhU. Mag. Sept. 1848, Amer. Journ. (2) vii. 427.) 



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