AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR DISINFECTING
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY BOLLMANN CONDY of the Chemical Works Battersea in the County
of Surrey Manufacturing Chemist do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR DISINFECTING to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the production of an oxidising compound of such
a nature that all the available oxygen contained in permanganic acid shall be
rendered useful for the purpose of disinfection and the compound itself shall in
certain cases have the odour of ozone.
In carrying out my invention I use a soluble permanganate such as permanganate
of potash or soda and I prefer to use potash salt and sulphuric acid the latter
employed in such quantity as shall equal at least three equivalents to one of per-
manganate of potash or soda but I prefer to use four equivalents of acid, or in
lieu of, or in combination with the sulphuric acid I use ter-sulphate of alumina-
The object in either case being that there shall be sufficient sulphuric acid present
(either in the form of acid or in the composition of sulphate of alumina) not only
to combine with the base of the permanganate but in the presence of oxidisable
matter to take up and form soluble proto-salts with the manganese contained in
the permanganic acid: thus forming a compound utilising for the purpose of
oxidation or disinfection of the oxygen contained in the latter substance.
To produce the new compound I employ 350 lbs of water in which I dissolve
16 lbs of permanganate of potash and to this I add from 15 to 20 lbs of sulphuric
acid, the proportion of sulphuric acid being reckoned to be at least sufficient to
combine with the potash in the first place and in the second place with the
protoxyde of manganese contained in the permanganic acid when used in the pre-
sence of oxidisable matter-I do not limit myself to the proportion of sulphuric
acid named as I find a larger proportion frequently acts with greater energy, but
I name as the minimum such a proportion that there shall be at least three
equivalents of sulphuric acid to one of permanganic acid, but I prefer four equi-
valents; or stated in exact proportions 159 parts of permanganate of potash to
196 parts of sulphuric acid-If three equivalents only be used 147 parts would
only be required-When I use ter-sulphate of alumina instead of or in combination
with sulphuric acid I employ a cold saturated solution of sulphate of alumina
containing approximately its weight of sulphate of alumina and in this I dissolve
by means of heat permanganate of potash, I then leave this mixed solution to cool

page_text: down and crystallise and so obtain in the form of potash-alum nearly the whole of
the potash contained in the permanganate of potash, leaving in solution the com-
pound required for the purposes of oxidation and disinfection. To this solution
when cold I add sulphuric acid-preferably in the following proportions to 1000 lbs
of solution of sulphate of alumina, containing its weight of that salt, I add
53 lbs of permanganate of potash and 17 lbs of sulphuric acid.
I do not insist on the addition of sulphuric acid for this last process as absolutely
necessary, inasmuch as sulphate of alumina will, under most circumstances when
used in disinfecting act the part, and take the place, of sulphuric acid; but not
with the production of the odour of ozone: nor, on the other hand, do I limit
myself to the exact proportion of sulphuric acid named, inasmuch as the addition
of a further quantity renders the action more energetic and the odour of ozone
stronger-It would be possible to vary the proportion of sulphate of alumina
employed, with a given quantity of permanganate of potash, or to mix and grind
together, in the solid state, permanganate of potash or soda and sulphate of alumina
and afterwards dissolve them. It would also be possible to employ a more dilute
solution of sulphate of alumina, say, for example, of 1/2 the strength named, with
/, the quantity of permanganate of potash, by which means only a portion of the
potash alum would be crystallised out; and the remainder left in the disinfectant
solution-or, on the other hand, to reverse the operation, and dissolve in a saturated
solution of permanganate of potash the requisite quantity of sulphate of alumina ;
in which case I should have to operate thus; after dissolving 16 lbs. of perman-
ganate of potash in 350 lbs. of water, I should add 100 lbs. of sulphate of alumina,
by preference warming the mixture; after cooling, a certain quantity of potash
alum would crystallise out; and to the liquor drained from these crystals I should
add 5 lbs. of sulphuric acid, if I wish to make the disinfectant solution possess the
ozone smell but if I did not require this latter effect, I should omit the sulphuric
acid.
Any one or more of these variations might be made without departing from the
principle involved in this specification, which consists in the presence of sufficient
sulphuric acid to take up all the permanganic. acid as a proto-salt of manganese.
The sulphuric acid specified is the concentrated sulphuric acid of commerce-
but any other sulphuric acid may be used, allowance being made for the difference
in strength.
I am well aware, that permanganate of potash, soda, lime, and magnesia have
been extensively used: but the principle of the present invention differs from that
of the principle involved in the employment of the permanganates above mentioned;
and is for the utilisation of the whole of the available oxygen contained in per-
manganic acid, of which are entirely wasted when either of the before named
perinanganates are used in their alkaline state.
I sometimes for convenience of commerce find it useful to add water and thus
dilute the strength of the manufactured solution to such an extent as may be
necessary.

page_text: I, HENRY BOLLMANN CONDY of The Chemical Works, Battersea in the County
of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR DISINFECTING, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows:
I take 1000 lbs. of solution of sulphate of alumina, containing 1/rd its weight of
that salt, and to it add 53 lbs. of permanganate of potash which is to be dissolved
by heating the mixture. I then leave this mixed solution to cool down and
crystallise and so obtain in the form of potash alum the whole or nearly the whole
of the potash contained in the permanganate of potash, leaving in solution the
compound required for the purposes of oxidation and disinfection consisting of
permanganate of alumina and sulphate of alumina. This solution I can for
convenience and other purposes dilute, either with water, or by preference with a
solution of sulphate of alumina, in the proportion of about one part of the former
to two of either of the latter substances. I can vary the proportion of sulphate of
alumina employed, with a given quantity of permanganate of potash, or mix and
grind together, in the solid state, permanganate of potash or soda and sulphate of
alumina and afterwards dissolve them. I can also employ a more dilute solution
of sulphate of alumina, say, for example, of 1, the strength named, with 1/, the
quantity of permanganate of potash; by which means only a portion of the potash
alum would be crystallised out, and the remainder left in the disinfectant solution
-or, on the other hand, I can reverse the operation, and dissolve in a saturated
solution of permanganate of potash the requisite quantity of sulphate of alumina;
in which case I operate thus; after dissolving 16 lbs of permanganate of potash in
850 lbs of water, I add 100 lbs of sulphate of alumina, by preference warming the
mixture; after cooling, a certain quantity of potash alum would crystallise out.
I may add that, in cases where the disinfectant is for immediate use, sulphuric
acid may be substituted for sulphate of alumina, in equivalent quantity say
1 lb sulphuric acid for each 7 lbs sulphate of alumina. This however could not be
done with advantage when the disinfectant is not required for immediate use.
Any one or more of these variations may be made without departing from the
principle involved in this specification.
Having thus described my invention and the manner of performing it, I would
remark that I believe I have in so doing produced a new permanganate vizı
permanganate of alumina a substance hitherto unknown.
I claim the manufacture and use of an improved compound, consisting of per-
manganate of alumina in solution mixed with sulphate of alumina in solution,

page_text: substantially in the manner herein set forth and obtaining a disinfectant which
shall be at the same time antiseptic and a neutralizer of ammoniacal matter in a
free state.