IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINAL RHUBARB AND ITS PREPARA- TIONS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wilson Swan and Barnard Simpson Proctor
(Chemists), of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Newcastle, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINAL RHUBARB AND ITS PREPARA-
TIONS."
Sealed the 19th August 1879, and dated the 26th February 1879.
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wilson Swan and
Barnard Simpson Proctor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
26th February 1879.
L
JOSEPH WILSON SWAN and BARNARD SIMPSON PROCTOR (Chemists), of New-
castle-on-Tyne, in the County of Newcastle. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINAL
RHUBARB AND ITS PREPARATIONS."
Whereas medicinal rhubarb is well known to have a nauseous taste and disagree-
able odour, which are objectionable to the patient, and sometimes debar the use of
this remedy when it would otherwise be most appropriate to the treatment of the
case, it is expedient to remove as much of this taste and odour as it is practicable
to do without detriment to the medicinal properties of the rhubarb. Our Invention
has for its object the treating of rhubarb with such solvents as have the power of
dissolving the oily matters upon which the odour of rhubarb mainly depends, and
upon which the taste partially depends, but which are not of medicinal value, the
solvents used and the mode of using them being such as to leave the rhubarb in a
condition fit for all purposes to which medicinal powdered rhubarb may be
applied.
Our Invention may be performed in the following way, that is to say, a conve-
nient quantity of dry rhubarb root in fine powder is put into a percolator of a
somewhat conical or other convenient form, provided with a perforated false bottom
covered with cloth, and a true bottom fitted with a pipe and tap to regulate the
flow of liquid. The tap being closed a portion of the solvent hereinafter described
is poured upon the rhubarb, and well mixed with stirring a convenient proportion
of liquid to solid matter to initiate the process in one gallon of solvent to each ten
pounds of rhubarb. After-the rhubarb has subsided the tap is opened and perco-
Price A71

page_text: lation allowed to proceed, more solvent being added from time to time at the top so
long as the percolate continues to extract any important quantity of odorous matter.
The solvent mechanically retained by the rhubarb after draining may be recovered
by distillation. The rhubarb, which is then in a loosely coherent condition, only
requires passing through a sieve to render it fit for any purpose to which medicinal
powdered rhubarb is applied. The solvent we prefer for operating in this way is a
mixture of eight parts by measure of chloroform with one or two parts by measure
of ether, but we do not restrict ourselves to this solvent or to the particular form of
apparatus or mode of extraction above described. One or more of the following
solvents may be used, either mixed, separately, or in succession, namely, ether,
chloroform, volatile oils, benzine, sulphur of carbon, and any other solvents capablo
of extracting only the constituents desirable to be removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Wilson Swan and Barnard Simpson Proctor in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th August 1879.
JOSEPH WILSON SWAN and BARNARD SIMPSON PROCTOR (Chemists), of New-
castle-on-Tyne, in the County of Newcastle. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINAL
RHUBARB AND ITS PREPARATIONS."
..Whereas medicinal rhubarb is well known to have a nauseous taste and disagree--
able odour, which are objectionable to the patient, and sometimes debar the use of
this remedy when it would otherwise be most appropriate to the treatment of the case,
it is expedient therefore to remove as much of this taste and odour as it is practicable
to do without detriment to the medicinal properties of the rhubarb. Our Invention
has for its object the treating of rhubarb with such solvents as have the power of
dissolving the oily matters upon which the odour of rhubarb mainly depends, and
upon which the taste partially depends, but which are not of medicinal value, the
solvents used and the mode of using them being such as to leave the rhubarb in
a condition fit for all the purposes to which medicinal powdered rhubarb may be
applied.
Our Invention may be performed in the following way, that is to say, a conve-
nient quantity of dry rhubarb root in fine powder is put into a percolator of a
somewhat conical or other convenient form, provided with a perforated false bottom
covered with cloth, and a true bottom fitted with a pipe and tap to regulate the
How of liquid. The tap being closed a portion of the solvent hereinafter described
is poured upon the rhubarb, and well mixed with stirring a convenient proportion
of liquid to solid matter to initiate the process is one gallon of solvent to each ten
pounds of rhubarb. After the rhubarb has subsided the tap is opened and perco-
lation allowed to proceed, more solvent being added from time to time at the top so
long as the percolate continues to exact any important quantity of odorous matter.
.

page_text: The solvent mechanically retained by the rhubarb after draining may be recovered
by distillation. The rhubarb, which is then in a loosely coherent condition, only
requires passing through a sieve to render it fit for any purpose to which medicinal
powdered rhubarb is applied. The solvent we prefer for operating in this way is a
mixture of eight parts by measure of chloroform with one or two parts by measure
of ether, but we do not restrict ourselves to this solvent or to the particular form
of apparatus or mode of extraction above described. One or more of the following
solvents may be used, either mixed, separately, or in succession, namely, ether,
chloroform, volatile oils, benzine, sulphide of carbon, and any other solvents capable
of extracting only the constituents desirable to be removed.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed, we declare that we claim the production of an
improved medicinal rhubarb from which the disagreeable odour and taste have been
removed or diminished without injury to its medicinal properties and activity,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before set forth and
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Wilson Swan and Barnard Simpson
Proctor, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy
nine
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within named Joseph
Wilson Swan and Barnard
Simpson Proctor in the pre-
sence of
T. A. BUSH,
(L.S.)
JOSEPH WILSON SWAN.
BARNARD SIMPSON PROCTOR. (L.S.)
A Commissioner to administer
oaths in the Supreme Court
of Judicature in England.