QUALITIES. _Odour_, faintly honey-like; it is brittle yet soft; when
chewed, it does not, if pure, adhere to the teeth; it melts at 142°, and
burns entirely away. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. It is the honey-comb of the
bee melted with boiling water, pressed through cloth bags, and
ultimately cast into round cakes for the market. Whether it be an animal
product, or a vegetable substance merely collected by the bee, has been
a question of dispute; the former opinion is probably correct, although
wax is certainly produced as a secretion by many plants. The yellow wax
contains a portion of pollen which imparts its colour to it, and
increases its fusibility. SOLUBILITY. It is insoluble in water, and in
cold alcohol or ether, but it is soluble in boiling alcohol and ether,
in fixed oils, and in alkalies. USES. It is chiefly employed in the
composition of external applications. ADULTERATIONS. _Earth_ or
_peas-meal_ may be suspected when the cake is very brittle, and the
colour inclines to grey; _Resin_ is detected by putting it in cold
alcohol, which will dissolve the resinous part without acting on the
wax. _Tallow_ is discovered by the greater softness and unctuosity of
the cake, and by its suffocating smell when melted; when this latter
substance is employed, turmeric is added to disguise its paleness.