28 



For comparison his results will be given with the means 

 from the preceding results: 



PART INSOLUBLE IN BENZIN BUT SOLUBLE IN METHYL ALCOHOL. 



PART INSOLUBLE IN METHYL ALCOHOL. 



Yoshida's oxy-urushic acid 71.52 8.280 



The methyl alcohol and ether soluble substances (Nos. 4 and 

 5) constitute less than one per cent of the original alcoholic resi- 

 due, hence not enough material remained after other experiments 

 for dulpicate analyses. Likewise only a small per cent of the 

 alcoholic residue is represented by No. 8, that part of the benzin- 

 soluble which, after treating with sodium hydroxide and hydro- 

 chloric acid, required heat to convert it into the insoluble form. 

 These would have no practical effect upon the final product 

 obtained by drying or oxidizing the lac. The substances from 

 which the results in numbers I, 2, 6 and 7 were obtained form 

 the principal part of the lac-resin that is soluble in alcohol. 



Yoshida analyzed the dried lac and found C 70.85%, 

 H 8.22%, N. -0.092, Ash 0.032. 



The one quality which has made Japanese lac so valuable is 

 its power to resist atmospheric action, solvents and chemicals. 

 The preceding results show that strong chemicals, like alkalies 

 and acids, convert the lac-resin into its insoluble form. Also that 

 the final product appears to be the same whether obtained by the 

 action of the enzyme, as in the usual method of hardening, or by 

 chemical action. This becomes more apparent by comparison of 

 the composition of this substance as obtained by various methods. 



C H N Ash 

 Mean from Nos. I and 3 obtained by drying 71.777 8.1 18 1.644 0.5 



Mean of Nos. 2, 6 and 7 precip. by NaOH 71.173 8.177 0.56 0.82 



Action of chromic acid (Yoshida) 71.52 8.280 



Original lac hardened (Yoshida) 70.85 8.22 0.092 0.032 



