WAX 457 



Properties.- — A yellowish-white, or nearly white ointment-like mass, having 

 not more than a slight odor. Insoluble in water, but miscible with twice its 

 weight of the latter, without losing its ointment-like character. 



Constituents. — 1, cholesterin, C2eH,8(OH) ; 2, ethers of oleic, stearic, palmitic 

 and other acids. 



AdEPS LANiE. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 (Wool fat without water. Anhydrous lanolin.) 



Action and Use of Lard, Suet, and Hydrous Wool Fat. 



Lard is used mainly as a basis of ointments and cerates.' Benzoin is 

 commonly added to it to prevent or retard rancidity. Lard is inferior 

 to petrolatum as a lubricant. It is rarely given internally as an antidote 

 to caustic alkalies, and as a demulcent. 



Suet is contained in certain ointments and plasters. It is harder 

 than lard and becomes rancid on prolonged exposure. Lanolin is not 

 subject to rancidity, but possesses no particular medicinal action. It 

 is indicated where absorption of some drug is desired (mercury, potassium 

 iodide) by inunction as it is believed to be more readily absorbed from 

 the skin than any other fat. Lanolin is used as a basis of ointments. It 

 may be mixed with twice its weight of water without losing its ointment 

 consistency. 



Ceka Plava. YeUow Wax. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Beeswax, E. ; cire jaune, Fr. ; gelbes wachs, G. 



A product obtained by melting and purifying the honey comb of the bee. 

 Apis melliflca Linn6 (Fam. Apidae). 



Properties. — A yellow to gray-brown solid, having an agreeable, honey-like 

 odor, and faint, characteristic taste. Spec. gr. 0.950-0.960. It is brittle when 

 cold; by the heat of thei hand it becomes plastic; melts between 62° and 65° C. 

 Insoluble in water; sparingly soluble in cold alcohol, but completely soluble in 

 ether, chloroform, fixed and volatile oils. 



Constituents. — 1, myricin or myrical palmitate (CsoHei, CmHsiOz), a sperma- 

 ceti-like substance; 2, cerin or cerotic acid (CstHmOj), an imperfectly saponiflable 

 waxy body; 3, hydrocarbons (CkHj,, and C^Jia) 12 per cent.; 4, an alcohol 

 (C„HhO) ; 6, ceryl alcohol (C„H„0). 



Ceea Alba. White Wax. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Cire blanche, Fr. ; welsses wachs, G. 



Yellow wax, bleached. 



Properties. — A yellowish-white solid, somewhat translucent in thin layers, 

 having a faint, characteristic odor. It is free from rancidity and nearly tasteless. 

 Spec. gr. 0.950-0.960. Solubility, melting point, and composition the same as those 

 of yellow wax. 



Uses. — Yellow and white wax are used as bases for plasters, oint- 

 ments and cerates, since they do not decompose nor melt at the tem- 

 perature of the body. 



Cetacetjm. Spermaceti. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Blanc de baleine, c6tine, Fr. ; walrat, G. 



A concrete, fatty substance, obtained from (the head of the sperm whale) 

 Physeter macrocephalus Linng (Fam. Physeteridae) . 



Habitat. ^^Indian and Pacific Oceaxis. 



Properties. — White, somewhat translucent, slightly unctuous masses of a scaly, 

 crystalline fracture, a pearly lustre; a very faint odor, and a bland, mild taste. 

 It becomes yellow and rancid by exposure to the air. Spec. gr. 0.938 to 0.944. 

 Insoluble in water, nearly so in cold alcohol; soluble in ether, chloroform, carbon 

 disulphide, fixed and volatile oils. 



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