124 PLANT AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 
Sulphuric acid combined with solvents gave characteristic 
and distinct reactions with the yellowish-green petroleum spirit 
residue, and with the crystalline substance separated from it. 
A scheme has been proposed for the identification of vari¬ 
ous waxes, based upon quantitative experiments. 1 The exam¬ 
ination rendered division into two groups possible, according 
to the solubilities of the waxes with chloroform. Again, their 
action with ether, and acetate of lead solution added to the 
alcoholic solutions, allows the several varieties of waxes to be 
distinguished from one another. 
The petroleum spirit residue was submitted to the tests 
proposed in Hirschsohn’s scheme. It was boiled with ten times 
its volume of chloroform, and when cool the liquid became 
cloudy. By this test, the petroleum spirit residue was placed 
in the group with carnaiiba and Bahia wax. An ethereal 
solution of the petroleum spirit residue, on adding an equal 
volume of alcohol, remained clear. According to Hirsch¬ 
sohn’s scheme, 2 an ethereal solution of Bahia wax similarly 
treated remains clear, and by this means the wax is distin¬ 
guished from carnaiiba wax, which it is said to resemble in 
most of its properties. The wax from Copernicia cerijera , the 
carnaiiba tree of Brazil, and carnaiiba wax obtained from 
the leaves of Corypha cerijera , are related very closely by their 
chemical properties, and possibly are identical. 3 
Carnaiiba wax is described as a clear yellow wax with a green¬ 
ish tinge, and harder than beeswax. It contains a notable 
percentage of free melissyl alcohol and other alcohols very 
difficult to separate. Insoluble in water, it is dissolved with 
difficulty by alcohol and ether, though readily soluble in car¬ 
bon di-sulphide and oil of turpentine. It is not acted upon by 
linseed oil; it is changed yellow by nitric acid; with sulphuric 
acid no appreciable effect is produced. The melting-point 
is variously stated from 82° to 85° C. The specific gravity 
from .998 to .999. 
1 “Contributions to the Chemistry of Several Varieties of Wax,” by E. 
Hirschsohn, Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions , vol, x, March, 1880. 
2 Loc. cit. 
3 Gmelin, Handbook of Chemistry , vol. xviii. Translated by H. Watts, 
London. 
