MR. BRODIE ON CEROTIC ACID. 
153 
Atomic weight. 
Calculated in 
^58 • 
. . 348 
79-45 
Hss 
. . 58 
13 24 
O 4 . 
. . 32 
7*31 
438 
100-00 
Chlor-Cerotic Acid. 
Cerotic acid is readily acted on by chlorine if melted in that gas. Hydrochloric 
acid is formed, and a substitution of chlorine for hydrogen in the substance takes 
place. The following substance was made by passing a current of chlorine over the 
acid, melted in a small flask in a water-bath. The action must be continued for 
several days. I considered the action as terminated when no more vapour of hydro- 
chloric acid could be perceived. The substance had now undergone a remarkable 
transformation in appearance, a transformation similar to which may be effected in 
all the wax substances with which I have experimented. 
It was perfectly transparent, slightly yellow, and of the consistency of a very thick 
gum, more than viscid, and yet capable of being drawn out in threads. 
I. 0'382 grm. of this substance gave 0‘5581 carbonic acid and 0-1752 water. 
II. 0'401 grm. of this substance gave 0-5848 carbonic acid and 0-184 water. 
These analyses give in 100 parts — 
Carbon 39-82 39*77 
Hydrogen 5*10 5*09 
Chlorine and oxygen . . 55*08 55*14 
100-00 100-00 
I. 0*486 grm. by the usual method of analysis gave T012 grm. chloride of silver, 
containing 0*249 chlorine. 
I I. 0-6715 grm. by the usual method of analysis gave 1-3915 grm. chloride of silver, 
containing 0*344 chlorine. 
These analyses give as the per-centage of chlorine — 
Chlorine . . . 
These analyses lead us to the formula 
I. 
51-40 
II. 
51-28. 
1^4 
n J * 42 Q 
*12 
C54. . . 
. . 39-45 
H42 . . 
. . 5-10 
Cl , 2 . . 
. . 51-50 
O4. . . 
. . 3-95 
100-00 
MDCCCXLVIII. 
X 
