340      CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  WAX  OF  MYRICA  CERIFERA. 
dissolve  five  parts  of  the  wax,  four- fifths  heing  deposited  on  cool, 
ing  and  one-fifth  remaining  suspended  in  the  fluid,  but  gradually 
depositing  after  a  few  days,  or  it  may  be  precipitated  at  once  by 
the  addition  of  water.  Only  four-fifths  of  the  wax  are  dissolved 
by  hot  alcohol,  the  remainder  being  totally  unacted  on  even  by 
prolonged  digestion  with  fresh  quantities  of  the  solvent.  Boil- 
ing ether,  according  to  the  same  author,  dissolves  more  than  one- 
quarter  of  its  weight  of  the  wax,  of  which,  the  greater  part  sepa- 
rates on  cooling.  At  a  moderate  heat  it  is  also  taken  up  by  oil 
of  turpentine  to  the  extent  of  six  per  cent. 
With  a  solution  of  caustic  potash,  myrtle  wax  saponifies  read- 
ily, giving  a  fragrant  soap  which  is  freely  soluble  in  water,  and 
which  by  decomposition  with  sulphuric  acid  yields  a  mixture  of 
fatty  acids  fusing  at  61°  C,  and  readily  soluble  in  hot  alcohol. 
From  this  solution  it  may  be  wholly  precipitated  by  an  alcoholic 
solution  of  acetate  of  lead.  Upon  washing  and  drying  the  pre- 
cipitate, and  digesting  it  for  several  days  at  a  moderate  temper- 
ature with  twice  its  bulk  of  ether,  a  waxy  substance  was  dissolved 
which  did  not  blacken  by  sulphide  of  ammonium  and  left  no  resi- 
due upon  ignition,  thus  proving  the  absence  of  oleic  acid.  The 
portion  dissolved  by  ether  consisted  of  unsaponified  wax,  which 
being  suspended  in  the  solution  of  soap  in  a  state  of  fine  division 
escaped  detection,  was  carried  down  mechanically  in  the  precipi- 
tate produced  by  acids,  thrown  down  a  second  time  in  the  pre- 
cipitate by  acetate  of  lead,  and  was  afterwards  dissolved  out  by 
the  ether. 
A  portion  of  the  wax  was  saponified  with  litharge  and  the 
lead  soap  repeatedly  washed  with  water.  Upon  evaporation  of 
the  washings  in  vacuo,  a  viscid  fluid  was  obtained  possessing  the 
sweet  taste  and  other  characteristic  properties  of  glycerine;  the 
quantity  obtained  was,  however,  quite  small  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  wax  employed. 
About  two  pounds  of  the  wax  were  then  saponified  with  caus- 
tic potash  and  the  soap  decomposed  by  sulphuric  acid,  the  pre- 
cipitate was  fused  and  agitated  repeatedly  in  contact  with  renew- 
ed portions  of  distilled  water,  and  finally  dried.  It  possessed  a 
fusing  point  of  60°  C.  A  portion  of  this  substance  was  intro- 
duced with  a  considerable  quantity  of  distilled  water  into  a  ca- 
pacious retort  and  subjected  to  distillation  ;  after  about  one-half 
