MR. BRODIE ON MYRICIN. 
i03 
tained for substances of a lower melting-point. The crystalline appearance marks 
the purity of the substance, and notwithstanding the slight difference in the hydro- 
gen, I cannot but regard it as the body C 92 H 92 O 4 , with the calculated formula of 
which, as given above, it sufficiently agrees. I must add that the substance is separable 
with extreme difficulty. The next precipitate from the solution from which the above 
substance had been separated, had a melting-point half a degree lower, and gave to 
analysis rather less carbon, namely, C. 8 TO per cent. 
The greater part of the difficultly saponifiable portion of the wax appears to consist 
of the substance the analysis of which I have just given, and to which we may confine 
the name myricin. We have, however, clearly some other body present accompany- 
ing it, the products of the decomposition of which by potash are to be found with 
both the acid and the wax-alcohol procured by saponification of the impure substance, 
which, as I have said, render extremely difficult the preparation of these bodies in a 
pure state, i shall proceed to give some experiments which throw some true light 
upon the nature of this substance, although I cannot say that its history is satisfac- 
torily made out. The solution of ether or naphtha (p. 2 / 8 ) from which the melissin 
of 85° has been separated, still contains a large quantity of substance of a similar ap- 
pearance, but of a melting-point much lower than that of the melissin itself. Notwith- 
standing however the differences in the melting-point, analysis shows us but little or 
rather no difference in the constitution of the different portions of this substance. 
In the case for example of a substance melting at 78°'5 C., — 
CO2. HO. 
0’2522 grm. gave .... 0’764 0‘324 
which gives in 100 parts, — 
Carbon . . 
. . . 82-59 
Hydrogen . 
. . . 14-27 
Oxygen . . 
. . . 3-14 
100-00 
In the case again of a substance melting at 72°, — 
CO,. 
HO. 
0-249 grm. gave . . . 
. 0-75075 
0-317 
which gives in 100 parts, — 
Carbon . . 
. . . 82-22 
Hydrogen . 
. . . 14-14 
Oxygen 
. . . 3-64 
Other analyses gave similar results. 
100-00 
