Improvements in and relating to the Production of a Solution of Myrrhic Resin.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of a Solution of
Myrrhic Resin.
A communication from abroad by ADOLF FLÜGGE, of Frankfort-on-Main, in the
Empire of Germany, Chemist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
:―
Myrrh is a gum resin consisting of about 3 per cent. of ether oil, of about 30
to 35 per cent. of resin and of about 65 per cent. of gum (Arabin, Bassonin, sundry
salts and impurities such as sand, etcetera) which is soluble in water.
Up to the present, strong alcohol was the only known means for extracting the
resin entirely out of the myrrh.
With ether, petroleum-ether, benzene, sulphide of carbon, amylalcohol, ether-
oils, etcetera, the myrrh-resin is only soluble in a very small proportion, or only
separate constituents of it. It has also been considered as impossible to dissolve
the myrrh resins in fats or fatty oils.
All recent works on pharmacy and chemistry state that myrrh is insoluble in
fatty oils, or say nothing at all about it.
In Berzelius' instruction book (translated by Von Wöhler in 1820 and published
at Dresden by Von Arnoldi) it is moreover found that myrrh is insoluble in fatty
and liquid oils, there is only the observation, that the resin extracted from myrrh
by alcohol is treated after separation of the alcohol with ether-which dissolves
5 per cent. of soft resin-and this is only partially soluble in oil of almonds. Of
the so called resins, myrrh-resin was almost never dissolved, this resin amounting to
about 25 per cent. of the myrrh and was considered to be a myrrhic acid.
The present process for dissolving myrrh resin is as follows:-
The myrrh is powdered and has poured over it castor oil, and with the addition
of a small quantity of alcohol, about of the oil employed, is digested in a closed
receptacle being subjected to frequent stirring. After eight days, the solution of
the resin is perfectly attained. The solution is then filtered off from the remaining
gun and the alcohol driven off by the application of gentle heat.
The solution of the myrrhic-resin can be so produced in the proportion of one
part of myrrh and in one part of oil.
The process may also be varied in that the myrrhic resin is extracted with
alcohol and the alcoholic solution so obtained is then treated with castor oil, the
alcohol being subsequently distilled off. In this case also a clear solution of
myrrhic resin in castor oil is obtained.
The solution is perfectly clear, of a light brown colour, of an agreeable aromatic
Emell and of the spicy bitter taste of myrrh.
The identity of the myrrhic resin can be established by means of nitric acid.
The solution may also be diluted with other oils or fats and can be employed for
embalming and preserving purposes.
An alcoholic solution is not adapted for such purpose, since the resins of the
myrrh, as soon as they come in contact with watery liquids, separate out, an
impregnation being therefore impossible.
Dated this 11th day of April 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of a Solution of
Myrrhic Resin.
A communication by ADOLF FLÜGGE, of Frankfort-on-Main, in the Empire of
Germany, Chemist.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 ligh Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Myrrh is a gum resin consisting of about 3 per cent. of ether oil, of about 30
to 35 per cent. of resin and of about 65 per cent. of gum (Arabin, Bassonin, sundry
salts and impurities such as sand, etcetera) which is soluble in water.
Up to the present, strong alcohol was the only known means for extracting the
resin entirely out of the myrrh.
With ether, petroleum-ether, benzene, sulphide of carbon, amylalcohol, ether-
oils, etcetera, the myrrh-resin is only soluble in a very small proportion, or only
separate constituents of it. It has also been considered as impossible to dissolve
the myrrh resins in fats or fatty oils.
All recent works on pharmacy and chemistry state that myrrh is insoluble in
fatty oils, or say nothing at all about it.
In Berzelius' instruction book (translated by Von Wöhler in 1820 and published at
Dresden by Von Arnoldi) it is morcover found that myrrh is insoluble in fatty and
liquid oils, there is only the observation that the resin extracted from myrrh by
alcohol is treated after separation of the alcohol with ether, which dissolves
5 per cent. of soft resin and this is only partially soluble in oil of almonds. Of the
so called resins, myrrh resin was almost never dissolved, this resin amounting to
about 25 per cent. of the myrrh and was considered to be a myrrhic acid.
The present process for dissolving myrrh resin is as follows-
The myrrh is powdered and has poured over it castor oil, and, with the addition
of a small quantity of alcohol, about of the oil employed, is digested in a closed
receptacle being subjected to frequent stirring. After eight days, the solution of
the resin is perfectly attained. The solution is then filtered off from the remaining
gum and the alcohol driven off by the application of gentle heat.
The solution of the myrrhic-resin can be so produced in the proportion of one
part of myrrh and in one part of oil.
The process may also be varied in tha: the myrrhic resin is extracted with
alcohol and the alcoholic solution so obtained is then treated with castor oil, the
alcohol being subsequently distilled off. In this case also a clear solution of
myrrhic resin in castor oil is obtained.
The solution is perfectly clear, of a light brown colour, of an agreeable aromatic
smell and of the spicy bitter taste of myrrh.
The identity of the myrrhic resin can be established by means of nitric acid.
The solution may also be diluted with other oils or fats and can be employed for
embalming and preserving purposes.
An alcoholic solution is not adapted for such purpose, since the resins of the
myrrh, as soon as they come in contact with watery liquids, separate out, an
impregnation being therefore impossible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. The improvements in the production of a solution of myrrhic resin, which

page_text: consist in treating the myrrh with castor oil in the presence of a certain percentage
of alcohol (which is subsequently distilled off), and allowing the mixture to stand,
till the constituents of the myrrh, which are soluble in water, have deposited, after
which the remaining clear solution is drawn off and filtered, all substantially as
herein before described.
2. The variation in the hereinbefore described process, which variation consists
in first extracting the myrrhic resin by means of alcohol, treating the alcoholic
solution thereby obtained with castor oil and then distilling off the alcohol.
Dated this 1st day of January 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.