IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUNDS TO BE USED AS COSMETICS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Lambert, Chemist, of Rue d'Enfer, 72,
Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUNDS TO BE USED AS
COSMETICS."
Sealed the 12th December 1854, and dated the 25th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Lambert at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1854.
I, FRANÇOIS LAMBERT, Chemist, of Rue d'Enfer, 72, Paris, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUNDS TO BE
USED AS COSMETICS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in introducing, in the preparation of cosmetics,
chemical substances susceptible of reacting on one another, so as to develope
a dynamic electricity, the action of which strengthens the hair, the beard, and
the skin.
To produce this reaction, I generally prefer to employ pure acid sulphate
of peroxide of iron, dissolved in alcohol at 20° or 30°, with a small quantity
of a solution of crystallized nitrate of silver. This compound must be made
in a dark room, and put immediately in opaque bottles. When this liquid
is exposed to the air or to the light, a double decomposition takes place,

page_text: which decomposition disengages electricity. In place of the solution above
mentioned, solutions of all other known substances susceptible of producing
electricity by acting on one another may be used to produce the same
effect. After this liquid has been used, either balsamic oil, essence, or grease
must.be employed; this is to prevent the too rapid evaporation of the first
compound. I mix with this second preparation gold leaf reduced into
powder, which hastens the production of electricity. I may also introduce in
the oil, essence, or grease, chemical substances capable of producing electricity
without departing from my Invention, since it consists in introducing electricity
in cosmetics, the fabrication of which is known, and does not form any part
of my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Lambert in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
LAMBERT, Chemist, of Rue d'Enfer, 72, Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said François Lambert, Her special licence that I, the said François Lam-
bert, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
François Lambert, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMPOUNDS TO BE USED AS COSMETICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said François Lambert, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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 François Lambert, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained.in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in introducing, in the preparation of cosmetics, of
chemical substances capable of reacting one on the other, so as to develope a
dynamic electricity, which strengthens the hair, the beard, and the other parts
of the human body, upon which the stimulating action of the electricity may
render the employment of these compositions suitable.
To produce this reaction, I employ ordinarily the pure acid sulphate of the
peroxide of iron, well dissolved in and carefully triturated with alcohol of
20 to 30 degrees until complete saturation, and crystallized nitrate of silver,
dissolved in small quantity, without the contact of air, and sheltered from the
light. These two solutions are mixed together, in the proportion of 200
grammes of ferruginous liquid to 150 grammes of argentiferous liquid. This
mixture is made in a dark room, into which only diffused light is admitted;
then the mixture is placed in hermetically sealed bottles, and wrapped up in
sheet metal, or strongly colored, to intercept the light. When this liquid is
exposed to the air or light, a double decomposition is produced, which dis-
engages electricity. In place of the solutions above mentioned, the same
effect may be produced by the employment of solutions of sulphate of zinc
and acetate of lead, or any other known substances capable of producing by
acting on one another an electric action; that is to say, an acid metallic oxide,
such as auric acid, protoxide of gold, binoxide of platinum, uranic acid, ferric
acid, stannic acid, iridic acid, oxide of antimony, binoxide of palladium; or
an acid, such as carbonic acid, acetic acid, sulphurous acid, sulphuric acid,
nitric acid, phosphatic acid, phosphoric acid, dithionic acid, pentathionic acid,
hydriodic acid, or any non-acid salt of a weak base, with a basic metallic
oxide, such as binoxide of silver, protoxide of copper, protoxide of silver,
protoxide of iron, sesqui-oxide of iron, protoxide of platinum, strontium, &c.,
or any salt of which the acid is unstable. The moderate and continued
electric effect produced by a double decomposition can be regulated by the
proportion and the choice of substances, and can easily be determined by
means of the Sweiger's galvanometer and the Bouenberger's electroscope. It
will also be understood that the mixtures can be determined so as to produce
different colors, varying according to the nature of the substances employed.
After the application of this liquid I apply a balsamic essential oil, such as the
oils of millepertins and of mélilot, or other essence, oil, or fat. This operation
is for the purpose of hindering the too rapid evaporation of the first liquid.
I mix with this second preparation gold leaf reduced to powder, which has the
advantage of favoring the production of electricity. When the preparations

page_text: above mentioned' are employed for the hair, it is preferable to divide it
successively into locks, to receive the application of the said preparations,
and it is well to leave the hair untied to facilitate the disengagement of
electricity. I render also all the toilette cosmetics producers of electricity,
by introducing in their preparation metallic salts according to the rules above
indicated, and this gives to them particularly vivifying properties; I can also
use as solvents essences, oils, fats, &c.
My Invention thus consists in using known re-agents, and the develope-
ment of electricity which results from them, by applying them to all toilet
cosmetics, whatever may be the purpose for which they are to be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Lambert, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
T. BASSET,
2, Rue Drouot, Paris.
FRANCOIS LAMBERT. (L.S.)