844 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



fat alcohols separates. If this mixture is acetylized the alcohols are converted into 

 their acetic ethers, invariably giving a high acetyl number, differing for different 

 waxes. 



BECKER'S METHOD. 



Becker* recommends a method based on that of Koettstorfer for butter. About 2 

 grams of wax, which has been melted and filtered, are introduced into a flask (about 

 150 cc), covered with 25 cc of normal alcoholic potash. Close the flask with a rub- 

 ber stopper bearing a 2-bulb safety tube containing enough mercury in its bend to 

 make the sapouification take place under a pressure equivalent to a column of 5 cm. 

 This amount of pressure insures sapouification after half an hour's heating on the 

 water bath. When the wax melts it is best to swing the flask occasionally to insure 

 the mixing of its contents. After saponification add 50 cc alcohol, some pheuolph- 

 talein and titrate with half normal HC1. If the contents of the flask begin to get 

 solid before the end of the titration, momentary setting on the water bath will clear 

 the solution. Investigation of 6 samples guaranteed pure gave figures representing 

 the consumption of between 97 and 107 milligrams of potash for 1 gram of wax. Of 

 the common adulterants paraffin and ceresin (except of course when containing car- 

 nauba wax) absorb no potash; 1 gram rosin equals 194.3 milligrams of potash ; 1 

 gram Japan wax, 222.4 ; 1 gram carnauba wax, 93.1 ; 1 gram spermaceti, lOb.l milli- 

 grams ; 1 gram tallow, 196.5. 



ANALYSIS OF BEESWAX YELLOW, t 



Hehner has attempted to apply to the examination of wax the well-known method 

 of Koettstorfer for fats. A difficulty presents itself in its use, however, arising from 

 the extraordinarily high molecular weights of both cerotic acid and inyricin, respect 

 tively, 410 and 676. One cc, therefore, of normal alkali would equal 410 mg of ce- 

 rotic acid and 676 mg of myricin, and titrations have to be made with the most ex- 

 treme care, a difficulty enhanced by the dark solutions yielded by some foreign waxes. 

 Another obstacle was found in the difficulty with which myricin saponifies. The 

 most serious trouble of all, however, was the procuring of a wax which could be cer- 

 tified to as genuine. It would naturally be imagined that if honeycomb were pur- 

 chased as it comes out of the hive the wax would be genuine, without doubt. But 

 this is not so. Very many bee-keepers suspend in the hives sheets of wax stamped on 

 both sides with hexagons, to induce the bees to utilize the hexagonal ridges as "foun- 

 dations" for the cells, thus insuring the regularity of the comb. These foundations 

 are obtained from certain dealers, some of whom warrant them to be composed of gen- 

 uine wax. 1 have no doubt that genuine wax foundations are to be had, but the 

 two samples which I obtained were mixtures, in spite of the warranty, as will be 

 seen from results stated further on. Pure wa-x does not seem to be quite so plastic as 

 certain mixtures. This may be one reason for their compound nature, but I suspect 

 that since wax is dear and fats and paraffin are cheap, the chief inducement is not of 

 an entirely unselfish character. As for 20 pounds of honey a hive only yields 1 pound 

 of wax it is also intelligible why some bee-keepers are very liberal with the supply 

 of foundation to the bees. Although generally a comb into which foundation has 

 entered can be distinguished from the more irregular, pure comb, and although I have 

 taken all possible care to exclude suspicious samples, I am not at all certain that the 

 whole of the samples which I believed to be unmixed were absolutely pure and free 

 from admixture. The method of analysis finally adopted was: First, make up alco- 

 holic potash, using spirit recti lied over potash of such a strength that 1 cc equals 

 0.3 to 0.4 cc normal acid. Weigh 3 to 5 grams of wax, transfer to a flask holding 

 about 400 cc and heat on the water bath with 50 cc alcohol prepared as above. Add 

 plenty of phenolphtalein solution and titrate with the alcoholic potash. Next run in 



"Corr. Bl. Ver. analyt. Chem., 2, 57; through Frea. Zeit. f. a. Chem., I860, 240. 

 t Otto Hehner, Analyst, 1883, 16. 



