WAX. 



this wax better than alcohol. Oxygenated muriatic acid 

 rendered this, as well as bees'-wax, perfeftly white ; but 

 the vegetable wax was bleached with the greateft difficulty. 

 The folution in ammonia is of a brown colour, and a por- 

 tion of the wax is rendered foapy ; and it forms foap with 

 fixed alkah. When the foap of Myrica is decompofed, a 

 very white wax is obtained, but in a ftate unfit for our ufes. 

 Litharge difTolves very well in this melted wax, and forms 

 a hard plafter, the confiaence of which may be diminifhed 

 at pleafure by the addition of a little oil. For bleaching 

 this wax, M. Cadet obferves, that two rc-agents prefent 

 themfelves to manufaaurers, the fulphuric acid and the oxy- 

 genated muriatic acid. He propofes the following method 

 as the moft fpeedy in its effeft :— Let the wax be reduced to 

 a very divided ftate, and ftratified in a calk with fuper- 

 oxygenated muriate of lime, and let them remain for fome 

 time in contaft without water. Let the fait be afterwards 

 decompofed with water, acidulated by the fulphuric acid ; 

 taking care to pour the water a little at a time at different 

 intervals, until there fhall be no longer any perceptible dif- 

 engagement of muriatic gas ; at which period a large quan- 

 tity of water is to be added, and the mixture agitated with 

 a ftaff. The infoluble fulphate of hme falls down by repofe, 

 while the bleached wax rifes and fwims at the furface. 

 This is to be wafhcd and melted; on the water bath. Our 

 author clofes his memoir with recommending the culture of 

 the plant that yields this wax, and with a brief detail of 

 methods for effefting this purpofe. Dr. Boftock has alfo 

 profccuted an inquiry into the nature and ufes of myrtle 

 wax. He finds that in its more important properties it re- 

 fembles bees'-wax, but that in fome refpefts they differ from 

 one another. The myrtle wax is moderately hard and con- 

 fiflent, poffeffing in part the tenacity of bees'-wax, without 

 its unauofity, and alfo, in fome degree, the brittlenefs of 

 refin. The prevalent colour is pale green, tending in moll 

 of the pieces to a dirty grey ; in others it is hghter, more 

 tranfparent, and of a yellowifh tinge. Its fpecific gravity 

 is about 1. 0150, water being l.ooo, fo that it finks in it, 

 and the white bees'-wax being .9600. Water has no aftion 

 upon it, either when cold or at the boiling heat. Alcohol, 

 when cold, does not affeft it; but 100 parts, by weight, 

 of this fluid, when boiling, diffolve about five parts of the 

 wax. Nearly four-fifths are depofited by the cooling of the 

 alcohol ; one-fifth remains fufpended, but in the courfe of a 

 few days is (lowly depofited, or may be precipitated by the 

 addition of water. Sulphuric ether, when at the common 

 temperature of the atmofphere, diffolves only a fmall quan- 

 tity of this wax, but afts upon it rapidly when boihng. 

 It takes up fomewhat more than one-fourth of its own 

 weight. As the ether cools, it is moftly feparated, and the 

 fmall refidue may be precipitated by water. After folu- 

 tion, the wax is nearly colourlefs, and the fluid affumes a 

 beautiful green hue. The depofit by evaporation fomewhat 

 refembles fpermaceti. Reftified oil of turpentine, at the 

 temperature of the atmofphere, foftens the wax, but does 

 not diffolve it : aided by a moderate heat, 1 00 grains of the 

 turpentine diffolves fix grains of the wax. The turpentine 

 acquires a hglit green tinge, part of the wax is feparated as 

 the fluid cools, and part remains permanently diffolved in it. 

 Pure potalh renders it colourlefs by boiling, and forms a 

 foap with a fmall part, which being decompofed by acid, 

 affords the wax nearly unchanged. Pure ammonia afts 

 nearly as potafh, but more feebly. The three principal 

 mineral acids aft upon the myrtle wax, but with no great 

 force. The' fulphuric acid, with a moderate heat, diffolves 

 about one-twelfth of its weight, and converts it into a thick, 

 dark -brown raafs, which on cooling becomes nearly con- 



9 



Crete, but without any feparation of the wax. The nitric 

 and muriatic acids, even when heated, feem to poffefs little 

 attraftion for the wax. From fuch experiments. Dr. Bof- 

 tock affigns to myrtle wax, with a confiderable degree of 

 probability, the place which it fliould occupy among che- 

 mical fubftances. Its inflammability, fufibihty, infolubility 

 in water, and the aftion which takes place between it and 

 the alkalies, indicate its affinity to the fixed oils ; while its 

 texture and confiftence, and more particularly its habitudes 

 with alcohol and ether, manifell a refemblance to the refins. 

 Upon the whole, we may confider the myrtle wax as a fixed 

 vegetable oil, rendered concrete bv the addition of a quan- 

 tity of oxygen ; and feeming to hold the fame relation to 

 the fixed, which refins do to the effential oils of vegetables. 

 Dr. Boftock has inftituted a comparifon between myrtle 

 wax and other fubftances which it refembles, fuch as bees'- 

 wax, fpermaceti, adipocire, and the cry-ftalhne matter of 

 biliary calculi ; and, upon the whole, deduces this conclu- 

 fion, that though thefe five fubftances poffefs certain pro- 

 perties in common, and have a degree of fimilarity in their 

 external appearance, yet that they differ materially in their 

 chemical nature. There is indeed, he fays, reaion to con- 

 jefture, that they are all compofed of the lame elements, 

 combined together in different proportions, and with dif- 

 ferent degrees of attraftion. Nicholfon's Journal, vol. iv. 

 8vo. 



Wax, C/mfe. See Chafe. 



Wax, Crude or Rough, called by the French cin brute, 

 in Natural Nijlory, a name given to a fubftance called by the 

 ancients erlthace, fandarac, and ambrojia. 



We feem to have no name for it in Englifti, but may call 

 it after the name of the French, rough wax. 



The Dutch call it the food of the bees, and that, per- 

 haps, very properly, there appearing many reafons to think 

 that the bees eat it. 



This is the yellow fubftance found on the hinder legs of 

 bees in fmall lumps, of which, as Reaumur and fome others 

 erroneoufly thought, wax is made by this infeft. See Pain 

 d'Jbeilles. 



Wax, Myrtle. See Myrica, and Wax, fupra. 



Wax, Virgin, Propolis, is a fort of reddifti wax, ufed 

 by the bees to rtop up the clefts or holes of the hive. It is 

 applied juft as taken out of the hive, without any art, or 

 preparation of boihng, &c. It is the moft tenacious of any, 

 and is held good for the nerves. See Propolis. 



Wax, Sealing, or Spani/h Wax, is a compofition of gum 

 lacca, melted and prepared with refins, and coloured with 

 fome fuitable pigment. 



There are two kinds of fealing-wax in ufe : the one hard, 

 intended for feahng letters, and other fuch purpofes, where 

 only a thin body can be allowed ; the other foft, defigned 

 for receiving the imprcflions of feals of office to charters, 

 patents, and fuch written inftruments. 



The beft hard red fealing-wax is made by mixing two 

 parts of fhell-lac, well powdered, and refin and vermilion, 

 powdered, of each one part, and melting this combined 

 powder over a gentle fire ; and when the ingredients feem 

 thoroughly incorporated, working the wax into fticks. 

 Seed-lac may be fubftituted for the ftiell-lac ; and inftead of 

 refin, boiled Venice turpentine may be ufed. A coarfer, 

 hard, red fealing-wax may be made, by mixing two parts 

 of refin, and of ftiell-lac, vermihon and red-lead, mixed in 

 the proportion of one part of the vermilion to two of the 

 red-lead, of each one part ; and proceeding, as in the former 

 preparation. For a cheaper kind, the vermilion may be 

 omitted, and the Ihell-lac alfo, for very coarfe ufes. The 

 hard black fealing-wax may be prepared in the fame manner ; 



ufing 



I 



