IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA, AND OF BLOOD, AND TOWNS REFUSE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE THEREFROM
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Taylor, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF
HUMAN EXCRETA, AND OF BLOOD, AND TOWNS REFUSE FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF MANURE THEREFROM.'
"
Sealed the 10th November 1871, and dated the 27th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th July 1871.
I, EDWARD TAYLOR, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA, AND OF BLOOD, AND TOWNS REFUSE, FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE THEREFROM," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists first of an improved process for the conversion
of human excreta, the nightsoil of towns, into valuble manure by the
admixture with the same, firstly, of a compound prepared in the follow-
ing manner-To one part of sugar I add ten parts of commercial
chloride of lime (bleaching powder) and four parts of water.
When
the chemical action has ceased I add one hundred parts more water,

page_text: and ten parts of commercial alum (either potash or ammonia alum).
I place beneath each closet seat a receptacle containing a small quantity
of the above compound, in which the fæces and urine are collected,
the vessels being removed weekly or more frequently if required; an
important feature of my process being the retardation of fermentation
of the excreta, so as to prevent it from fouling the atmosphere, and from
being depreciated in value as a manure, which is effected by frequent
removal of the receptacles prepared as above directed.
The cinders, ashes, and refuse from the houses are in like manner
collected in tubs or other receptacles, and removed to the same depôt as
the excreta, where they are sifted, separating the cinders, refuse, vegetable
matter, and the fine ash. The vegetable matter is burnt, and its ash
and the fine coal ash are used for the purpose of my Invention, while
the coarser portions are employed for other purposes. The fine coal
and vegetable ash is mixed with the excreta from the prepared recep-
tacles, after which sulphuric acid is added to the mixture, and this is
allowed to remain in a heap, say, for seven days, whereupon it must be
examined from time to time, and if the heat produced gives any appear-
ance of charring the whole heap should be turned over, and be again
examined in, say, three or four days time, and such turning over be
repeated if required. The heap is then allowed to stand for about seven
days longer, after which it may be passed through a screen so as to insure
perfect mixing. It is then a damp powdery manure, containing all
the constituents of the fæces and urine, except. a large portion of the
water.
The proportions of the ingredients which I prefer to employ for pro-
ducing the manure in a state ready for sale would be about 12 cwts.
of fine ash, to 24 cwts. of excreta, and 45 lbs. of sulphuric acid. I do
not however limit myself either to these proportions nor to the precise
mode of mixing the ingredients and turning over of the compound as
above described. The peculiarity of my process being the admixture of
the sulphuric acid and the ashes without the use of fire heat, and without
mechanically separating the urine, as by the condensation and heat
produced by the action of the sulphuric acid on the excreta and ashes a
considerable portion of the watery particles are evaporated, while another
portion is absorbed in the formation of the sulphates produced by the use
of the sulphuric acid. Thus whatever lime, ammonia, magnesia, or soda
is present, each would require its equivalent of water to form the

page_text: crystallized salt. It would be found advantageous that the fine ash
should be as dry as possible before admixture, even though it should
have to be dried specially for the purpose, also any tendency of the
compound to char should be carefully prevented by frequent turning
over as above described. With these precautions a valuable manure
will be produced which will allow of the addition of nitrates, phosphates,
or chlorides, or other materials, but which addition is not a necessary
part of my process. I also use for the mixing with the excreta the
deposit found in the flues of large furnaces and boiler fires, which is
known as "flue dust," and which contains a valuable quantity of
sulphuric acid.
By the above method of collecting and treating the nightsoil and
refuse of towns there is nothing lost, all is made profitably available,
the cinders will be found sufficient to raise steam for
any motive power
required in the process of preparing the manure, and for all drying and
evaporating purposes, and all other kinds of refuse, such as glass, iron,
etc. can be disposed of for their usual purposes.
The urine from the public urinals and that portion which can be
collected from dwelling houses, I treat as follows:-I put into the tanks
of the urinals a quantity of the same before described mixture, which
I put into the receptacles for nightsoil, and I collect the urine at least
once a week and take it to the depôt. It is there evaporated whilst in
a state of freshness before decomposition has set in, and thus the
evaporation can be accomplished without causing any offensive smell.
When it is reduced to about one-eighth part of its bulk it may be
thrown on the before described prepared manure.
The blood from the slaughter houses I treat as follows:-When the
animal is slain I catch the blood in a vessel containing the common
commercial alum, in the proportion of 12th part of alum to the blood,
the blood immediately solidifies, and can be conveniently carried, being
free from the danger of spilling, and from offensiveness, it can also be
dried on hot iron plates without giving off offensive smell. After drying
it can be ground up with the nightsoil manure before described, or if
required it may be sold as a separate manure. It may be mixed with
dry clay, a convenient proportion would be th part of clay to one
part of blood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
TAYLOR, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Taylor, Her special licence that I,
the said Edward Taylor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Edward Taylor, 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 THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN
EXCRETA, AND OF BLOOD, AND TOWNS REFUSE, FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE
THEREFROM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Taylor, 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 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 Edward Taylor, 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 :—
My Invention consists, first, of an improved process for the conversion
of human excreta, the night soil of towns, into valuable manure by the
admixture with the same, firstly, of a compound prepared in the follow-
ing manner: To one part of sugar I add ten parts of commercial
chloride of lime (bleaching powder) and four parts of water. When the
chemical action has ceased I add one hundred parts more water and ten
parts of commercial alum (either potash or ammonia alum). I place

page_text: beneath each closet seat a receptacle containing a small quantity of the
above compound, in which the fæces and urine are received and col-
lected, the vessel being removed weekly or more frequently if required,
an important feature of my process being the retardation of fermentation
of the excreta, so as to prevent it from fouling the atmosphere and from
being depreciated in value as a manure, which is effected by frequent
removal of the receptacles when charged.
The cinders, ashes, and refuse from the houses are in like manner
collected in tubs or receptacles other than the receptacles in which the
excreta are received and removed to the same depôt as the excreta,
where they are sifted, separating the cinders, refuse vegetable matter,
and the fine ash. The vegetable matter is burnt, and its ash and the
fine coal ash are used for the purpose of my Invention, while the coarser
portions are employed for other purposes. The fine coal and vegetable
ash is mixed with the excreta from the prepared receptacles, after which
sulphuric acid is added to the mixture, and this is allowed to remain in
a heap, say, for seven days, but it must be examined from time to time,
and if the heat produced gives any appearance of charring the whole
heap should be turned over. When the seven days have expired the
whole heap must be turned over and be again examined in, say, three or
four days time, and such turning over be repeated if required. The heap
is then allowed to stand for about seven days longer, being in the whole
21 days, but 28 days will sometimes be required, after which it may be
passed through a screen so as to insure perfect mixing. It is then a
damp powdery manure containing all the constituents of the fæces and
urine except a large portion of the water, of which it will retain from 20
to 25 per cent.
The proportions of the ingredients which I prefer to employ for
producing the manure in a state ready for sale would be about 12 cwts.
of fine ash to 24 cwts. of excreta, and 45 lbs. of sulphuric acid SO³.
I do not, however, limit myself either to these proportions nor to the
precise mode of mixing the ingredients and turning over of the com-
pound as above described, the peculiarity of my process being, that by
the admixture of the sulphuric acid and the fine ashes with the excreta
without the use of fire heat and without mechanically separating the
urine I avail myself of the condensation and heat produced by the action
of the sulphuric acid on the excreta and ashes, by which a considerable
portion of the watery particles are evaporated, while another portion is

page_text: .
absorbed in the formation of the sulphates produced by the use of the
sulphuric acid; thus whatever lime, ammonia, magnesia, or soda is
present each would require its equivalent of water to form the cys-
tallized salt. It would be found advantageous that the fine ash should
be as dry as possible before admixture, even though it should have been
dried specially for the purpose; also any tendency of the compound to
char should be carefully prevented by turning over as above described.
With these precautions a valuable manure will be produced, which will
allow of the addition of nitrates, phosphates, chlorides, or other materials,
but which addition is not a necessary part of my process. I also use
for the mixing with the excreta the deposit found in the flues of large
furnaces and boiler fires, which is known as "flue dust," and which
contains a valuable quantity of sulphuric acid. By the above method of
collecting and treating the night soil and refuse of towns there is nothing
lost, all is made profitably available, the cinders will be found suffi-
cient to raise steam for any motive power required in the process of
preparing the manure and for all drying and evaporating purposes, the
surplus cinders being saleable, and all other kinds of refuse, such as
glass, iron, &c. can be disposed of for their usual purposes.
The urine from the public urinals and that portion which can be
collected from dwelling houses I treat as follows:-I put into the tanks
of the urinals a quantity of the same before-described mixture which
I put into the receptacles for nightsoil, and I collect the urine at least
once a week, and take it to the depôt; it is there evaporated while
in a state of freshness before decomposition has set in, and thus the
evaporation can be accomplished without causing any offensive smell.
When it is reduced to about one-eighth part of its bulk it may be
thrown on the before-described prepared manure, and allowed to evapo-
rate naturally, or it may be thrown amongst fine ashes and treated
with sulphuric acid in a manner similar to that described above with
reference to the excreta from the receptacles, the quantity of acid being
however less because of the less quantity of water.
20
The blood from the slaughterhouses I treat as follows:-When the
animal is slain I catch the blood in a vessel containing the common
commercial alum in the proportion of 12th part of alum to the blood; the
blood immediately solidifies, and can be conveniently carried, being free
from the danger of spilling and from offensiveness; it can also be dried
on hot iron plates without giving off offensive smell. After drying it

page_text: can be ground up with the nightsoil manure before described; or if
required it may be sold as a separate manure. It may be mixed with
dry clay; a convenient proportion would be th part of clay to one part
of blood. When it is not convenient to catch the blood in a vessel
charged with alum, as above described, the alum can be afterwards
mixed with the blood so as to produce solidification.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I do not claim generally the treatment of excreta, urine, or blood with
fine ashes or sulphuric acid, or the drying by artificial heat of mixtures
of excreta, urine, or blood with fine ashes, sulphuric acid, or other
ingredients; but I do claim,-
First. The use of a mixture of sugar or other saccharine matter, com-
mercial chloride of lime, water and alum in receptacles for being mingled
with excreta, substantially as herein described.
Second. The process of mingling the compound of excreta and the
above-described mixture with fine ash and sulphuric acid in such manner
that the heat produced by the chemical action serves to evaporate a
large part of the moisture without the aid of artificial heat, substantially
as herein described.
Third. The use of flue dust, with or without fine ash, for mixing with
excreta, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The treatment of urine for manure by mingling it with the
above-described mixture and subsequent evaporation, substantially as
herein described.
Fifth. The treatment of blood with alum for the purpose of solidifying
it and rendering it inodorous and innoxuous, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Taylor, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of