V2 
White  Wax. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pbar  u. 
I      August,  1900. 
Without  doubt  the  list  of  substances  which  can  be  estimated  by 
gasometric  analysis  is  easily  extended ;  among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned chlorinated  lime,  Labarraque's  solution,  barium  dioxide, 
chlorine  water,  etc.  For  these  the  best  conditions  must  be  ascer- 
tained and  the  results  compared  with  those  obtained  by  volumetric 
processes — work  which  will  be  presented  in  another  paper. 
Answer  to  Query  No.  44  :  Yellow  and  white  beeswax  and  sper- 
maceti. Would  it  not  be  advisable  to  include  the  requirements  for 
the  acid  and  saponification  numbers  for  these  substances  ? 
During  the  last  year  three  samples  of  white  wax  were  submitted 
to  me  for  examination  in  the  analytical  department  of  Messrs. 
Hance  Brothers  &  White.  They  varied  in  color  from  a  pure  white 
to  a  decided  yellowish  tint.  In  the  following  report  the  samples 
will  be  referred  to  by  numbers. 
No.  1  was  pure  white  in  color  and  showed  the  specific  gravity 
0-9623  at  1 50  C. 
No.  2  was  of  a  yellowish  shade  and  had  the  specific  gravity 
No.  3  was  of  a  decided  yellow  tint,  and  showed  the  specific 
gravity  0-9432. 
All  three  samples  had  a  lower  specific  gravity  than  is  recognized 
by  the  U.S.P.,  viz.:  0  965  to  0-975.  The  melting  point  was  about 
the  same  for  all  three,  Nos.  2  and  3  melting  from  63- 5  to  640  C.  and 
No.  1  at  640  C.  In  their  behavior  toward  concentrated  sulphuric 
acid  at  i6o°C.  they  differed  to  some  extent.  Nos.  1  and  2  turned 
brown,  while  No.  3  was  blackened  and  evolved  sulphurous  acid  to  a 
considerable  extent.  On  dilution  with  water  no  waxy  body  was 
separated,  showing  the  absence  of  paraffin,  which  was  also  proven 
by  a  chemical  examination. 
The  determination  of  the  acid  number  was  carried  on  as  follows : 
No.  1  3'3235  grammes. 
No.  2  3'3302 
No.  3  3-1805 
By  Henry  C.  C.  Maisch,  Ph.G.,  Ph.D. 
WHITE  WAX. 
0-9545. 
1Read  at  the  meeting  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion, June,  1900. 
