MR. BRODIE ON THE CHEMICAL NATURE OF A WAX FROM CHINA. 163 
corresponding in 100 parts to — 
I. 
II. 
Carbon 74*67 
74*20 
Hydrogen 13*06 
12*95 
Oxygen and sulphur . . 12*27 
12*85 
100*00 
100*00 
Owing to the loss of a portion of the substance I was 
not able to make a separate 
determination of the sulphur. These numbers, however. 
so correspond to the formula 
SO 3 , C 54 H-g O-l-HO, and so exclude all other probable formulae, as to determine the 
constitution of the compound. 
Atomic weight. 
In 100 parts. 
Ci 4 . . . 324 
74*31 
H 56 • • • 56 
12*84 
• • • '•n 
12*85 
S . . . . 16j 
436 
100*00 
Adopting therefore the usual chemical language as to such compounds, this sub- 
stance is to be regarded as the sulphate of the oxide of cerotyle, containing one equi- 
valent of water, cerotyle being C 54 H 55 , the hypothetical radical of the alcohol. 
Chlor- cerotic Aldehyde — Chlor-cerotal. 
The action of chlorine on cerotin gives us a proof of the strong analogy of chemical 
constitution between alcohol and that substance, notwithstanding the wide interval 
by which they are separated in the alcoholic series. A body is formed analogous to 
chloral ; two equivalents of hydrogen are removed without substitution, the substance 
passing, apparently, through the condition of an aldehyde, before chlorine is substi- 
tuted. The chlorine produces a similar change in the appearance of the substance 
to that which is produced by the action of chlorine on cerotic acid. The character 
of wax is entirely lost, and the substance converted into a perfectly transparent 
slightly yellow body, possessing the appearance and consistency of a gum-resin, and 
which becomes highly electric by friction. The experiment was made by passing 
the chlorine over the substance kept melted in a flask by means of a water-bath. The 
gas was dried. The action is slow, and the experiment takes several days. When 
no more action was perceived, the substance was boiled with water, dried in a water- 
bath, and analysed. 
I. 0'394 grm. of the substance gave 0*5435 COg and 0*169 HO. 
II. 0*4404 grm. of the substance gave 0*6120 002 and 0*186 HO, 
giving in 100 parts — 
Carbon 37*62 37*89 
Hydrogen 4*77 4*70 
Oxygen and chlorine . . . 57*61 57*41 
100*00 
Y 2 
100*00 
