IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING MADDER
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Verdeil, Medical Doctor, of No. 30, Rué
St. Sulpice, in the City of Paris, and Edmond Michel, Chemist, of No. 4,
Quai Impérial, Puteaux, Seine, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING MADDER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Verdeil and
Edmond Michel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 5th March 1859.
We, FRANÇOIS VERDEIL, Medical Doctor, of No. 30, Rue St. Sulpice, in
the City of Paris, and EDMOND MICHEL, Chemist, of No. 4, Quai Impérial,
Puteaux, Seine, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN TREATING MADDER," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in treating madder by the following processes :-
The madder reduced to powder is treated with an alkaline liquid such
as an aqueous solution of soda, potash, or ammonia, or of a base such. as lime,
or of an alkaline salt, such as carbonate of soda. The substance wetted by
the alkaline liquid is stirred from time to time in order to increase its contact
with the atmosphere as much as possible, this contact may be obtained by any
artificial means, such as blowing air through it or exposing it to a rapid
current of air. The mass is thus caused to become oxidized by absorbing the
oxygen of the air. At the end of from 12 to 24 hours the mass is treated

page_text: with sulphuric acid at the temperature of ebullition. A garancine is obtained
by this process having a coloring power much superior to that of the garancine
obtained from the same madder by the ordinary processes. We prefer to
employ the carbonate of soda however weak aqueous solutions of all the
alkalies, alkaline bases and salts having an alkaline reaction, as also alkaline
liquids may fulfil the same end.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Verdeil and Edmond Michel in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANÇOIS
VERDEIL, Medical Doctor, of No. 30, Rue St. Sulpice, in the City of Paris, and
EDMOND MICHEL, Chemist, of No. 4, Quai Imperial, Puteaux, Seine, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for 'Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said François Verdeil and Edmond Michel, Her special licence that we,
the said François Verdeil and Edmond Michel, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said François Verdeil and Edmond
Michel, our 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 TREATING
MADDER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said François
Verdeil and Edmond Michel, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them, 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 Francois Verdeil, on behalf of myself
and the said Edmond Michel, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly

page_text: described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating madder, and
consists in treating the same with an alkaline liquid, then in exposing it when
in contact with the alkaline liquid to the action of air to oxidize it, and in
afterwards boiling the madder thus prepared in acid.
The following is the manner in which it is preferred to proceed: -The
madder having been ground, is placed in a suitable vessel together with suffi-
cient water to cover it; after about 5 or 6 hours, slaked lime is gradually
added and stirred in with the madder, until the mixture becomes of a dark
red or violet color. In place of lime, potash, soda, carbonate of soda, or other
substance, having a similar alkaline reaction may be employed; we find, how-
ever, that lime produces a very satisfactory result, and its use is more econo-
mical than that of any other of the substances mentioned. After the addition
of lime, the mixture is kept constantly agitated, so as to expose it as much as
possible to the action of air for a space of twenty-four to thirty-six hours (the
longer the better), or air may be blown through the mixture for a similar
period. Afterwards, sulphuric acid is added until the lime is completely
neutralized, and a strong acid reaction is obtained; the whole is then thrown
on a filter to separate the liquid from the solid part, which is then boiled with
ordinary commercial sulphuric acid in the proportion of 3 parts of acid
to 10 parts of madder originally taken. It is not essential that the liquid
should be separated from the solid before boiling with the acid, but if this is
not done a larger proportion of acid should be used. The boiling should be
continued for about two hours and a half or three hours; the acid is then
filtered off, and the prepared madder or garancine is well washed with water;
it is afterwards pressed to remove as much of the water as possible, and is then
dried in a stove. When again powdered it is ready for use, and it is employed
in dyeing in the same manner as garancine prepared by the processes heretofore
adopted, excepting that its colouring power being greater a smaller quantity
should be employed.
In place of treating the madder itself in the manner above described, the
process may be applied to the treatment of that portion only of the madder
which is soluble in water. For this purpose the madder is treated with hot or
boiling water to separate the portion soluble in water. The liquid is then run
off from the madder, and lime or other alkaline base is added to it, and the
mixture is agitated with air to oxidize the coloring principle. At the end of
from 24 to 86 hours acid is added to the solution, and the precipitate formed
is separated by filtration; it is afterwards boiled with sulphuric acid, washed

page_text: and dried, it is then ready for use. The madder from which the portion
soluble in water has been separated may be converted into garancine by
the processes ordinarily employed. It is, however, preferred to treat the
madder in the manner first 'described.
The process is also applicable for the treatment of madder dye baths, which
have become spent by use. The mixture is treated in the same manner by
an alkali and exposure to the action of the air; then a precipitate is
thrown down by the addition of acid, and is collected on a filter, it is after-
wards boiled with sulphuric acid, washed and dried, and is then ready for use.
This substance may be used for dyeing in place of garancine. By these means
a further quantity of color is formed, and this to a much greater extent than
that obtained by the simple boiling of the spent madder with sulphuric acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Verdeil, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
FRANÇOIS VERDEIL. (L.B.)