164 MR. BRODIE ON THE CHEMICAL NATURE OF A WAX FROM CHINA. 
I. 0‘5]075 grm. of the substance gave ri41 grin, of chloride of silver, equivalent 
to 0’2814 chlorine. 
II. 0’7035 grin, of the substance gave 1’574 grm. of chloride of silver, equivalent 
to 0’388 chlorine. 
III. 0’667 grm. of the substance gave r489 grm. of chloride of silver, equivalent 
to 0‘3673 chlorine. 
giving in 100 parts — 
Chlorine .... 55*11 
II. III. 
55*10 55*07 
From these data we may calculate for the substance the formula C 54 
Calculated in 100 parts— 
Cl 
H 
13i 
o,. 
403 
C 54 . 
. . . 38*12 
H 403 • 
. . . 4*79 
C1134 • 
. . . 55*20 
02 . 
. . . 1*89 
100*00 
It is very difficult to tell with certainty when the action of the chlorine on the 
substance ceases, and I have therefore written the fractional equivalents, which agree 
rCl 
rather more closely with the analyses than the whole numbers, C 54 ' O 2 . 
LII41 
The analysis determines with certainty that the substance no longer belongs to the 
alcohol type ; for the addition of two equivalents of hydrogen to the formula would 
require above 0*3 per cent, more hydrogen than the quantity found, a kind of error 
which is highly improbable. 
Cerotic Acid from the Saponification of the Wax. 
The perfect washing out of the baryta salt from which the cerotin has to be sepa- 
rated, is attended with considerable difficulty. It is best effected by naphtha-alcohol 
or naphtha-ether. The wax acid, after separation from the baryta salt, is to be purified, 
first by long boiling with water in an open vessel, to get rid of all traces of naphtha, 
and then by repeated crystallization out of ether. In this way the melting-point 
may be raised to 78°, 79° C. In appearance the acid perfectly resembles the cerotic 
acid, with which it has also the same melting-point. The substance, after long re- 
peated crystallizations, was analysed. 
I. 0*2632 grm. gave 0*765 CO 2 and 0*3035 HO. 
II. 0*2631 grm. gave 0*7626 CO 2 and 0*3095 HO. 
III. 0*232 grm. gave 0*6695 CO 2 and 0*274 HO. 
