578 
Note. 
It must not be forgotten that only one-sixth of the volume is wax and that five- 
sixths will pass off on evaporation, so that a sufficient quantity of the mixture is needed 
to leave enough wax to cover the material after evaporation. After twenty-four hours 
the cork is removed, when the alcohol and xylol will evaporate, and the tube will 
gradually smell less and less of xylol. In forty-eight hours the process should be 
complete, and the material will then be in pure paraffin wax. The transition from 
absolute alcohol to paraffin has been effected in one step and at a uniform rate. 
Probably, it will be found that a modification of the quantities is needed for 
different material, and that the xylol can be replaced by any other volatile clearing 
agent. 
W. J. DOWSON. 
