An Improved Process for Manufacturing a Solution Containing Sulphurous Acid for Curative Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Manufacturing a Solution Containing
Sulphurous Acid for Curative Purposes.
I, D. FRANZ ПARTMANN, of Ilalle, in the Empire of Austria, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertamed in and by the following statement
As known, sulphons acid, on account of its antiseptic properties, is largely used
as a curative agent in discases of the respiratory organs, such as tuberculosis of the
lungs or of the larynx, and is also applied externally for wound-dressings and in
cases of diseases of the skin.
For this purpose, the sulphurous acid has been hither to employed either duectly,
in the form of free sulphinous acid, in which case, however, the acid has the
defect of strongly stating the mucous membranes of the respuntory organs,
o the tailings of the sulphite-cellulose works are resorted to, which contain the
sulphunous acid combined, for the greatest part, with non-volatile elements, and
fiom which the sulphurous acid can only be freed through the intervention of
stronger acids, whereas, considered as free sulphurons acid, it has again the above-
mentioned defect.
Now this invention has for its object to enable the use of sulphurous acid, toi
curative purposes, under such a form, that the unpleasant iritation of the organs
of espnation, due to free sulphurous acid, is entirely obviated, without imparing
the antiseptic action of the acid.
This result is obtained by using the sulphurous aerd, not m its fiee state, but
combined or mixed with certain volatile and aromatic substances
According to my invention, the process for preparing the mixture containing
the sulphurous acid in the above-mentioned form, consists in heating in a digester,
unde a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure, portions of plants rich in
aetheric oils, together with alkaline or earth-alkaline bisulphites, then m passing
through a cooler the vapors developed dung the aforesaid operation, with the
effect of condensing said vapours.
The condeused product thus obtained in an amber-yellow liquid of pleasant
aromatic smell, composed of water, aetheric oils (terpenes and camphenes) and
sulphurous acid, and yeilding, when freely evaporated, a combination of sulphurous
acid and volatile vegetable matter of the said description.
As instances of the plants rich in aetheric oils which may be used I may mention
all the aromatic parts of pine, spruce, or fir trees, especially the needles, also the
aromatic parts of eucalyptus, peppermint and juniper
The cooling apparatus is to be filled with these aromatic substances and the
liquid containing the bisulphites is added in a sufficient quantity to cover
the surface. The proportion will vary according to the nature of the parts of the
particular plants and the volume of the same. On an average it may be assumed
that for about 250 parts by weight of the plants it will be suflicient to take about
100 parts by weight of the solution containing about 4% of sulphurous acid.
These proportions may however be considerably varied.
The proportion of acthetic oils in the liquid prepared in that manner can, if
requied, be increased to any degree by addition, to the resulting liquid, of more of
these oils in order to nullify any too strong action, of the sulphurous acid which
may still subsist therein.

page_text: In order to impregnate with the vapours of the described liquid the air to be
inhaled, the solution is preferably caused to drizzle on pinc-branches, wood
shavings, or the like arranged within suitable frames, whereby the liquid, as is the
case in graduation-houses, is distributed over the largest possible surface in order
to facilitate its evaporation in the ambient air.
No distilling process is used, but the aromatic substances are boiled with the
liquid and the vapors condensed
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A process for manufacturing a solution of sulphurous acid, and making it
suitable for curative purposes, said process consisting in heating, under pressure, in
closed vessels, portions of plants containing aetheric oils (terpenes, camphenes and
other similar organic combinations) together with alkaline or earth-alkaline
bisulphites, and condensing in coolers the resulting vapours, after which, when
required, the liquid thus obtained is exposed to the air, in order to imprognate the
latter for inhaling purposes, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.