vegetable Wax from Brazil. 2 6j 
continued boiling in acetic acid, the wax is rendered nearly 
white ; but when it is afterwards washed with water, and 
fused, it resumes its former colour. 
13. When the wax is fused in oxymuriatic gas, it is rapidly 
decomposed, and parting with hydrogen and oxygen, muriatic 
acid and water are formed, and charcoal is deposited. 
14. The results of the destructive distillation of the vege- 
table wax, are very analogous to those of bees wax. 
An acid liquor, mixed with a volatile oil, are the first pro- 
ducts ; these are succeeded by a large proportion of a buty- 
raceous oil, and a very small quantity of charcoal affording 
traces of lime, remains in the retort. During the process, a 
little carbureted hydrogene gas is given off. 
I have not considered it necessary to dwell upon the relative 
proportions of these different products, as they will necessa- 
rily vary according to the rapidity with which the distillation 
is conducted. 
§. HI. 
From the preceding detail of experiments, it appears, that 
although the South American vegetable wax possesses the 
characteristic properties of bees wax, it differs from that sub- 
stance in many of its chemical habitudes ; it also differs from 
the other varieties of wax, namely, the wax of the myrica 
cerifera,* of lac, , f and of white lac. J 
* Vide Dr. Bostock’s Experiments on the Wax of the Myrica cerifera, in Nichol- 
son’s Journal for March 1803. 
f Vide Analytical Experiments and Observations on Lac, by Charles Hat- 
chett, Esq. F. R. S. in the Philosophical Transactions for 1804. 
J Vide Observations and Experiments on a Wax like Substance from Madras, by 
George Pearson, M. D. F. R. S. in the Philosophical Transactions for 1794. 
M m 2 
