110 FIXED OIL, ETC. 



as possible, as glycerin loses weight even in a vacuum. Compare 

 also Griessmeier and Clausnitzer. 1 



129. Wax.Cdyl alcoJwl ( 14) melts at 48 to 49, and at 54 C 

 is miscible with spirit of specific gravity 0*812 in all proportions. 

 Cerotyl alcohol melts between 79 and 81, melissyl alcohol at 85. 

 The latter is scarcely soluble in cold alcohol, benzene, petroleum 

 spirit, or chloroform, but dissolves on boiling. 



Konig and Kiesow found a substance in meadow-hay which they 



considered to be cerotene, or a 'paraffin' of the composition C 20 H 42 . 5 



* Hirschsohn has endeavoured to find distinctive characteristics 



for certain vegetable waxes that find application in the arts, 3 wit 



the following results : 



Wax from Myrica quercifolia. Soluble in 10 parts of boilim 

 chloroform ; the solution remained clear on cooling. Completely 

 soluble in ether. 95 per cent, spirit dissolved 16*16 per cent, at 

 the ordinary temperature ; petroleum spirit 53 to 62 per cent 

 The alcoholic solution gave a precipitate with alcoholic fei 

 chloride (1 in 10), which did not dissolve on warming. 



Wax from another sp. of Myrica yielded 19-88 per cent, 

 alcohol, 6870 per cent, to petroleum-spirit. Ferric chloric 

 coloured the alcoholic solution black. 



Wax from Myrica cerifera yielded 7 '16 per cent, to alcohol 

 41*62 per cent, to petroleum spirit. Ferric chloride coloui 

 the alcoholic solution brownish. 



Wax from Rhus succedanea (Japan wax) resembled the thi 

 foregoing waxes in being completely soluble in chloroform, but 

 was only partially soluble in ether. Alcohol dissolved 14 per 

 cent., petroleum spirit 69*8 per cent. Boiling with 10 parts of 10 

 per cent, alcoholic potash saponified it ; the soap was completely 

 soluble in 100 parts of water, whilst that from beeswax was onh 

 partially dissolved. 



Wax from Aleurites lacclfera. The solution in chloroform 

 became turbid on cooling ; the addition of an alcoholic solution of 

 acetate of lead to a similar solution of the wax caused a cloudiness 

 on standing. Boiling alcohol left a pulverulent substance un- 

 dissolved. 



1 Ber. d. d. chem. Ges. xi. 292, 1878 (Journ. Chem. Soc. xxxiv. 449), 

 Zeitschr. f. anal. Chemie, xx. 58, 1881 (Journ. Chem. Soc. xl. 470). 



2 Ber. d. d. chem. Ges. vi. 500, 1874. For vegetable wax see also Ludwi 

 Archiv Pharm. [3], i. 193. 



3 Pharm. Journ. and Trans. [3], x. 749. 



