IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARATIONS FROM SULPHATE OF IRON TO BE EMPLOYED AS MEDICINES
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Underwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th May 1858.
(Voil by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, GEORGE UNDERWOOD, of Stichill, in the County of Roxbourgh,
North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARATIONS FROM SULPHATE OF IRON
TO BE EMPLOYED AS MEDICINES" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain medicinal compounds in the forms
of mixtures, wines, powders, or pills, in which sulphate of iron, or
preparation therefrom, affords the active principle, assisted by other
ingredients.
And for the better understanding of my said Invention, and to
enable the same to be readily performed, I will proceed to give certain
formulæ, and describe the processes applicable thereto.
I compound a mixture by taking sulphate of iron in the proportion
of from one to three grains, sulphate of magnesia from ten grains to
one drachm, distilled water from a half to two fluid ounces, and

page_text: diluted sulphuric acid from five to twenty minims. I generally reduce
the sulphate of iron to a powçler in a glass mortar, and add the other
ingredients, except the acid, which must be afterwards carefully dropped
in while stirring the mixture, or I sometimes put the powdered sul-
phate of iron and other ingredients into a bottle, and mix them simply
by agitation. The proportions here given are for a draught to be
taken from once to three times a day; and, if desired, from a half to
three grains of disulphate. of quinine may, previous. to employing the
acid, be added.
In the preparation of a wine for children I recommend the same
ingredients before named, only reduced to smaller gloses, and with a
rather free addition of the syrup of orange peel, lemon peel, or other
like agreeable syrup.
may.
I would here observe, that rose water or cinnamon water, or both,
be used with the distilled water, or substituted in lieu thereof;
also, any syrup may be added, or spirit, or suitable tincture for keeping.
The sulphate of magnesia may, if required, be omitted, and the prepa-
rations may be in other ways modified.
"
r.
In the preparation of a powder, either 'to be used as such or com-
pounded into pills, I first prepare a saccharine carbonate of iron by
taking, sulphate of iron in the proportion of four ounces to carbonate
of soda five ounces, pure sugar two ounces, and water four pints. I
make solutions of the two first, and, adding them together, obtain a
precipitate of carbonate of iron, which I collect, mash, and treat with
the sugar in a mortar, and dry at a temperature of 120 degrees or
thereabouts. To the saccharine carbonate of iron thus, obtained.I add
to from five to thirty grains thereof, powder of rhubarb from a half to
three grains, and the same quantity of aromatic powder, consisting of
equal parts. of ginger, cinnamon, and curdamum seeds. The whole
being then intimately combined by trituration in a mortar is ready for
use. Or, if desired, from a half to three grains. of disulphate of quinine
may be added or not, at pleasure, and likewise the rhubarb or the
aromatic powder are not absolutely, essential..
Having thus. described these three several preparations, and how the
be variously compounded, I would have it understood that I
samic may

page_text: do not claim any of the ingredients separately, which are all well-known
medicinal ingredients, but afford, when prepared according to the fore-
going recipes, medicines applicable in the treatment of chronic diseases.
and as a prophylactic against the same and certain other diseases; and
I declare that what 1 claim as my Invention is,―
The peculiar compounds in which sulphate of iron, or the saccharine
carbonate prepared therefrom, enter as the active principle, assisted by
other useful ingredients, as described.