IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING THE ROSIN AND SUGAR OF SCAMMONY
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander William Williamson, of the London
University, Gower Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING THE ROSIN AND SUGAR OF SCAMMONY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander William
Williamson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th July 1856.
I, ALEXANDER WILLIAM WILLIAMSON, of the London University, Gower
Street, in the County. of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING THE ROSIN AND SUGAR OF SCAMMONY," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in obtaining the rosin and
sugar of scammony. Heretofore it has been usual to tap the scammony roots
when growing, and thus to obtain fluid products therefrom. Now, my Inven-
tion consists in grinding or reducing the roots of scammony, and in placing
the same in a suitable vessel, and then causing the vapour of alcohol to pass
through such reduced or ground roots. The condensed product obtained is
evaporated into a treacly consistency and washed with water, which, being
evaporated, leaves the sugar of scammony; and the residue, when washed, con-
tains the rosin, which is heated and dried. Although I have mentioned alcohol
as the material or solvent preferred, another may be used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander William Williamson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
WILLIAM WILLIAMSON, of the London University, Gower Street, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander William Williamson, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
William Williamson, my executors, administrators, and, assigns, or such others
as I, the said Alexander William Williamson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING THE ROSIN AND SUGAR OF SCAMMONY," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander William Williamson,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander William Williamson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
+ :
This Invention has for its object-improvements in obtaining the rosin and
sugar of scammony. Heretofore it has been usual to tap the scammony roots
when growing, and thus to obtain fluid products therefrom. Now, my Inven-
tion consists in grinding or reducing the roots of scammony, and in placing the
same in a suitable vessel, and then causing the vapour of alcohol to pass
through such reduced or ground roots. The condensed product obtained is
evaporated into a treaclely consistency and washed with water, which, being
evaporated, leaves the sugar of scammony; and the residue, when washed, con-

page_text: tains the rosin, which is heated and dried.--Although I have mentioned alcoliol
as the material or solvent preferred, another may be used.
...And, in order that my said Invention may be most. fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
a is a retort, the bottom of which is immersed in the bath b, containing a
concentrated solution of salt, and heated by a fire underneath; c is a connector.
which receives the vapour of alcohol as it distils over from the retort; the con-
nector c is made conical at its lower end, so as to fit into the neck formed at
the top of the box d, which also, at its lower-end, fits into the neck of a second
and similar box d'; the boxes d, d', are furnished with bottoms perforated
with fine holes, and are filled with the scammony root ground or rasped to a
a powder. As the alcohol vapour passes through the powdered root it becomes
condensed, and dissolves out the resin and sugar which it contains. The lower
end of the box d¹ fits into a neck at the top of the standard e, which com-
municates with the serpentine f, from the end of which the extract flows. When
the liquid flowing from the tube ƒ ceases to be highly colored, the upper box d
is removed, and its contents emptied out, the box d¹ is raised to the upper
position, and another box containing fresh material is placed underneath it.
While the boxes are being changed the cock g is turned off, and the cocks h and
i are opened, to admit the vapour to the condenser k. The extract which runs
from the tube f is returned to the still a, and is there evaporated to the con-
sistence of syrup; it is then mixed with three or four times its bulk of water,
which dissolves the sugar, and allows the resin to sink to the bottom; the
solution of sugar is poured off as soon as cold, and will deposit more
scammony on standing. The resin of scammony is dried, and is then in a much
purer state than the ordinary scammony of commerce. The sugar may be
fermented, to procure alcohol for carrying on the process. By these means I
obtain, firstly, the active principle of scammony in a state of far greater
purity and of more uniform quality than hitherto; and, secondly, I obtain
more of the product than by the old process of tapping the roots while growing
in the earth.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same; as practised by me, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the use of alcohol in carrying out my improvements, the
peculiarity of the Invention consisting in extracting the rosin and sugar of

page_text: scammony by dissolving them from the roots of the plants after they have been
removed from the earth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander William Williamson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
E. BARKER.
ALEX W. WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)