590  Examination  of  Beeswax.  {Ami>&^arm" 
heated  in  a  flask,  for  fifteen  minutes  with  25  cc.  of  sulphuric  acid,  to 
1600  C,  and  the  mixture  diluted  with  water,  no  wax-like  body  should 
separate."  Care,  however,  must  be  exercised  in  applying  the  test 
as  has  been  shown  by  C.  C.  Sherrard1  and  C.  M.  Morse.2 
The  paraffin  is  estimated  by  decomposing  a  weighed  portion  of 
the  wax  with  concentrated  boiling  sulphuric  acid,  the  charred  mass 
cooled,  washed  with  water,  dried  and  extracted  with  a  Soxhlet's 
apparatus  by  means  of  ether.  The  paraffin  hydrocarbons  are  thus 
obtained  in  a  fairly  pure  state. 
Japan  Wax. — E.  Buri3  regards  this  wax  as  a  mixture  of  glycerides 
and  not  as  a  dipalmatin.  There  are  a  number  of  methods  claimed 
by  their  various  authors  to  be  efficient  in  detecting  this  adulterant 
in  beeswax,  but  none  has  proven  itself  very  effective  in  the  writer's 
hands.  The  borax 4  and  sodium  carbonate 5  methods  only  deserve 
mention.  Experience  has  shown  that  it  would  be  better  to  abandon 
the  borax  method  also  or  at  least  be  extremely  cautious  in  judging 
from  its  results,  for  the  separation  into  layers  takes  place  easier  on 
paper  than  in  the  test  tube. 
Donath's5  general  reaction  for  rosin,  tallow,  stearic  acid  and  vege- 
table wax  gives  a  valuable  indication  but  is  not  specific  enough. 
He  directs  to  boil  1  or  2  grams  of  the  wax  with  6  or  8  cc.  of  a  con- 
centrated solution  (1-6)  of  sodium  carbonate  for  one  minute;  if  an 
emulsion  ensues  which  is  persistent  after  the  liquid  has  cooled,  the 
wax  contains  one  of  the  above  adulterants. 
Soap. — This  adulterant  can  easily  be  detected  by  boiling  a  small 
piece  of  the  wax  a  few  minutes  with  water,  cooling,  filtering  and 
treating  the  filtrate  with  hydrochloric  acid.  A  precipitate  indicates 
the  presence  of  a  soap. 
Mineral  matters. — Such  substances  as  kaolin,  gypsum,  heavy  spary 
yellow  ochre,  etc.,  are  said  to  be  frequently  used  as  adulterants  for 
beeswax,  but  examinations  of  late  show  that  the  days  of  such  gross 
sophistication  is  nearly  past.  Adulteration  of  recent  days  has  in 
many  cases  assumed  the  position  of  a  science. 
Starches. — The  various  starches  can  easily  be  detected  with  the 
1  1892,  Proc.  Am.  Pharm  Assoc.,  40,  252. 
2  1888,  Thesis,  College  of  Pharm.,  Mass. 
3  1879,  Arch.  d.  Pharm.  (3),  14,  403. 
4Hager,  1862,  Pharm.  Cetitrhalle,  3,  207  ;  1880,  Dingl.  poly.  J.,  238,  356. 
5  Donath,  1872,  Dingl.  poly.  J.,  205,  131  ;  Allen's  Com.  Org.  Anal.,  2,  212. 
