98 
MR. BRODIE ON MYRICIN. 
Dutillation of Myricin. 
The discovery of the cerotic acid rendered it evident that in order to obtain the 
products of distillation of myricin, and especially the acids in a state of purity, it was 
necessary first to remove that body and to distil only the residue of the wax. I give 
the results of this experiment made with myricin. The first portions of the distillate 
consist almost entirely of acids, the latter of hydrocarbons. During the distillation 
a smell of butyric acid may be perceived. This however appeared to me to diminish 
when the boiling of the wax with alcohol had been very long continued. It is 
possible to effect nearly a complete separation of the acids and the hydrocarbons by 
distillation. It is however not advisable to proceed in this manner, but it is best 
after boiling the distillate with water to saponify the whole by potash. The soap may 
be removed by a syphon from the hydrocarbons which float on the surface. 
Palmitic Acid from the Distillation of Myricin. 
The acid, having been purified in the usual manner by washing out the baryta 
salt with ether, and the subsequent methods of purification, presents an appearance 
similar to the acids obtained by saponification. By crystallization the melting-point 
may be raised to 62° C. 
CO2. HO. 
I. 0'2592 grm. of this acid gave .... 0'7165 0'293i 
II. 0*250 grm. of this acid gave .... 0*6865 0*27925 
III. 0*2776 grm. of this acid gave .... 0*75925 0*311 
These analyses correspond in 100 parts to — 
I. II. III. 
Carbon . . 75*39 74*89 74*61 
Hydrogen . 12*58 12*40 12*45 
Oxygen . . 12*03 12*71 12*94 
100*00 100*00 100*00 
The silver salt of this acid, prepared as before, gave the following results *. — 
I. 0*5006 grm. of the substance gave 0*1479 silver. 
II. 0*2295 grm. of another preparation gave .... 0*0685 silver, 
which correspond in 100 parts to — 
I. II. 
Silver . . . . . 29*54 29*84 
CO2. HO. 
0*3505 grm. of the same salt gave .... 0*6873 0*2758 
which gives in 100 parts, — 
Carbon . 53*47 
Hydrogen . . . ... . 8*74 
Oxygen and silver . . . . 37*79 
100*00 
