824 



FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



Third experiment : A third specimen of this wax was exposed to the " exposure in 

 the night" and sheltered from the light during the day. The bleaching was less 

 marked than in the first instance. 



Still it remained to determine the cause which during the exposure to the '' expo- 

 sure in the night" produced the effect. Special research having revealed the con- 

 stant existence of ozone in the same places where these experiments were most effec- 

 tual, I tried to find if a connection existed between the occurrence of atmospheric 

 ozone and the rapidity of the bleaching. I tested this by placing ozonoscopic paper 

 by the side of the wax during the experiment. Comparison with an ozometric scale 

 showed an evident relation between the progress of the bleaching and the quantity 

 of ozone in the air. The ozone evidently played the leading part. 



The results may be summed up as follows: Light bleaches the wax more rapidly than 

 the " exposure in the night." On this subject I ought to add that the action of the 

 direct solar rays alone possesses a great activity ; in diffused light the bleaching is 

 slow. The action which the " exposure in the night" produces is due principally to 

 the ozone. 



SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF WAXKS.* 



White wax 0.973 



Yellowwax 0.963-0.964 



Japan wax 0. 975 



Ceresin, white 0. 918 



Ceresin, half white 0.920 



Ceresin, yellow 0.922 



Ozokerite (crude) 0. 952 



Spermaceti 0. 960 



Rosin, American 1.108 



Rosin, French 1.104-1.105 



Cacao butter, filtered 0. 980-0. 981 



Paraffin 0.913-0.914 



Purified resin 1.045 



Beef tallow 0.952-0.953 



Mutton tallow 0.961 



Stearin .. .. 0.971-0.972 



BEHAVIOR OF WAX FROM THE RHU8 FAMILY OF PLANTS, t 



.7. B. Batka t says that the most remarkable peculiarity of the above-named wax 

 consists in the fact that when boiled with borax in water it dissolves fully, forming 

 a gelatinous, quickly solidifying soap, from which acids precipitate a wax. This is not 

 the case with beeswax, and therefore the reaction can be used to distinguish between 

 them, 



Japan wax is the most important of these waxes, being an exudation ffom the 

 Rhus succedanea. 



VEGETABLE WAXKS. $ 



Carnauba wax (Ceara or Brazil wax) is obtained from the leaves of Copernicia cm- 

 fera (Martius); conies from Brazil, is hard and brittle, and melts at 83.5 to 84. 



Pela wax (Chinese wax) is separated in China from the young branches of Fraxinus 

 chinensis (Roxburg) by Coccus pela (Westwood), melts at 82.5 C., and has not been 

 brought into commerce. 



Koga wax is probably obtained from Cinnamomum pedunculatum in Japan. It is 

 softer than Japan wax and has not yet come into commerce. 



Ibota wax is produced from Ligiistrum ibota by an insect. It is white, very solid, 

 and is not met with in commerce. 



Chinese vegetable tallow is obtained from the seeds of Stillingia 8ebifera( Martins). 

 It is used in making candles, is an easily disintegrated substance, and melts at 37. 



Palm wax is collected from the trunks of Ceroxylon andicola (Huinb.), indigenous 

 to tropical America. It does not melt in its crude state till heated above 100. 



* Dieterich, Arch. Pharm. 3, 20, 454. 

 t Fres. Zeit. f. a. Chem., 1865, 491. 

 t Chem. Centralblatt, 1365, 12. 



$A. Meyer, Arch. d. Pharm., Aug., 1879, 97, 129; Amor. Jour. Phar., Dec., 1879, 

 606; Proc. Am. Phar. Assoc, 1880, 293. 



