^""sipul'mo^'""'}       Characteristic  Tests  of  Beeswax,  447 
hydrochloric  acid  while  cold  produces  no  effect  ;  but  on  heating,  it 
deflagrates  violently  ;  aqua  regia  turns  it  a  deep  brown-red  color,  and 
finally  chars  it. 
The  composition  of  the  acid  was  determined  by  Bonastre  and 
Dumas  to  be 
^12  ^2  = 
73-18  7-13  19-51 
The  medicinal  prooerties  and  compounds  are  but  little  known. 
CHARACTERISTIC  TESTS   OF   BEESWAX— VEGETA- 
BLE AND  ARTIFICAL. 
By  H.  Hager. 
Translated  and  condensed  from  "  Pharm.  Centralh.,"  April  8,  1880,  p.  119-121,  by 
Louis  VON   COLTZHAUSEN,  Ph.G. 
The  analysis  makes  the  following  processes  necessary  : 
1.  Determining  the  specific  gravity.  In  case  the  mass  does  not  con- 
tain moisture  cut  off  five  or  more  small  pieces  or  melt  a  few  grams 
in  an  evaporating  dish  supplied  with  a  lip,  drop  the  wax  on  a  pane  of 
glass  which  has  previously  been  wiped  off  with  a  moist  cloth,  and 
place  the  glass  into  cold  water.  The  drops  will  either  readily  drop  off 
at  the  slightest  touch,  or  are  removed  at  the  expiration  of  half  an  hour 
with  a  knife.  The  specific  gravity  is  then  determined  as  usual  by 
the  floating  test,  which  consists  in  mixing  alcohol  and  water  in  such  a 
proportion  that  the  wax  drops  will  float  in  the  mixture  without  show- 
ing a  tendency  to  rise  or  sink.  The  drops  containing  air-bubbles  can 
be  readily  recognized  and  are  rejected.  The  specific  gravity  of  pure 
yellow  or  white  wax  lies  between  0*956  and  0'964,  usually  between 
0*958  to  o  960.  If,  therefore,  the  specific  gravity  of  the  suspected  wax 
is  not  between  0*956  to  0*964  it  is  very  probably  adulterated.  Wax 
containing  an  admixture  of  stearic  acid,  resin  or  Japan  vegetable-wax 
has  usually  a  higher,  and  wax  adulterated  with  tallow,  paraffin  or 
ceresin,  a  lower  specific  gravity. 
2.  Dissolving  in  hot  chloroform  or  in  a  fatty  oil.  The  solution  of  dry 
beeswax  is  clear,  but  slightly  cloudy  in  case  the  wax  was  moist,  but 
ought  not  to  contain  any  sediment,  which,  if  present,  ought  to  be  col- 
lected and  determined  (mineral  substances,  starch,  etc.). 
3.  Borax  test.  6  to  8  cc.  cold  saturated  borax  solution  are  heated 
in  a  test  tube  with  a  piece  of  the  suspected  wax  as  large  as  a  bean. 
