SUGAR, MOLASSES, CONFECTIONS, AND HONEY. 835 



separates into a clear liquid arid a floating cake of wax, if Japan wax is not present. 

 If it is present, it remains milky, and according to the extent of the adulteration be- 

 comes either thick or gelatinizes completely. I have tried this method. By treat- 

 ment of pure beeswax with borax solution I invariably used 7 cc of a solution of 

 5 grams borax in 100 cc. water and .350 gram wax a solution is gotten which is at 

 first milky, but separates after some hours into a fluid, opalescent at first, afterwards 

 clear, a floating solid film and a layer of emulsion of equal size. 



For the detection of foreign admixtures, especially Japan wax tallow, stearic acid, 

 and rosin, the method is generally unreliable, for the separation into layers takes place 

 not so easily as described. Only stearic acid and rosin can be detected in this manner. 

 By a coutent of only 5 per cent stearic acid, no solid layer is obtained and a thick 

 pasty emulsion is formed, nothing separating at first, though after several days a 

 little clear liquid separates uudemeath. In the presence of only 5 per cent of rosin 

 the thick emulsion does not separate in two layers and no solid cake is formed. 



For the detection of small admixtures of Japan wax the above method, for the 

 reasons given, is unreliable and misleading. In the presence of larger quantities of 

 Japan wax (over 10 per cent) a solid layer separates on the surface, under which is 

 a thick emulsion, separating after several days into a more or less clear liquid. Tal- 

 low behaves in a similar way, but the quantity of emulsionis smaller, and the method 

 consequently less applicable. 



For my own part I should think it would be better to abandon the use of the borax 

 method, or at least be cautious in judging from 'its results. 



The pharmacy commission of the Deutscher Apotheker Verein* recommends boiling 

 1 gram wax with 10 cc water and 3 grams sodium carbonate. On cooling, the wax 

 should wholly separate, leaving only an opalescent solution below. Wax containing 

 Japan wax, stearic acid, or rosin, gives an emulsion with the soda, not separating 

 into a cake, and clear fluid, even after several days. Tallow, although not mentioned, 

 behaves in a similar way. In its presence a cake forms, and underneath (with 5 to 

 10 per cent) a clear fluid, with emulsion in the upper layers. This emulsion is great- 

 est in the presence of rosin ; somewhat smaller with Japan wax and stearic acid, and 

 slightest with tallow. From my results with personally-made mixtures, 2 per cent 

 of Japan wax, stearic acid, or rosin, can be detected by the abnormal emulsion. 

 Tallow does not become evident till the proportion reaches 5 per cent. 



MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OP WAX. t 



By melting together 4 parts of vaseline with 1 part of ceresin, spermaceti, wax, 

 ozokerite, etc. , characteristic crystals are formed which may be of use in an analyti- 

 cal way. A drop of the mixture is to be placed on a microscope slide, a cover glass 

 softly pressed down on it, and the whole allowed to stand for twelve hours, at a tem- 

 perature which must not exceed 5 C. Examine in polarized light with a power of 

 20 diameters. 



METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF WAX. 



The methods of wax examination which have been proposed by different writers 

 were examined by Mr. Morse in some detail. The method of the United States Phar- 

 macopoeia is : Boil 1 gram of wax with 40 grams of " solution of soda" (specific grav- 

 ity 1.18) for half an hour. On cooling, the wax should entirely separate, leaving 

 the fluid clear and HC1 should produce no precipitate in a filtered portion (absence 

 of fat, fatty acids, Japan wax, and resin). A mixture of 7 parts of a beeswax known 



* Arch. Pharm., 1886, 24-490. 



t E. Dieterich, Geschaftsber. der Papier und chem. Fabrik in Helfenberg, bei 

 Dresden, 1883 ; abs. Fres. Zeit. f. a. Chem., 1884, 567. 



t Thesis of C. M. Morse, Mass, College of Pharmacy, 1888, 



