A Fumigating Composition for Preserving and Purifying Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Fumigating Composition for Preserving and Purifying Purposes.
I, WILLIAM RADAM of No. 1813, 5th Avenue, in the City of New York, County of
New York, and State of New York, United States of America, Doctor 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 :-
My invention relates to combustible compositions, which, when ignited, produce a
gas or gases that have preservative and purifying effects upon various substances and
surfaces or places exposed to the fumes. It is more especially designed, however, for
preserving fruits, vegetables, meats and other perishable articles.
The composition consists of the following ingredients, combined in about the
proportions stated, viz., powdered sulphur, twelve ounces; nitrate of soda, two ounces;
black oxide of manganese, one .ounce; sandal-wood, one-half ounce; chlorate of
potash, one ounce. These ingredients are to be thoroughly mixed.
In using the above-named composition for preservative purposes one method which
I adopt is as follows: 1 place the articles or substances to be preserved in an air-tight
box or receptacle in any suitable manner that will expose them to the fumes of the
burning composition or gases, and before closing said box place a quantity of the
composition in a saucer or any suitable receptacle placed on top or elsewhere within
the box, and ignite the composition in order that the gases generated thereby may act
upon or among the substances to be preserved, and so kill all fungus, germs, parasites,
and other matter producing fermentation or decay etc. To do this the box is closed,
and the articles or substances in it, to be preserved, exposed to the action of the gas or
gases for a period of from six to ten hours, or more. The same treatment may be
carried out upon a larger scale-as, for instance, by exposing the articles or substances
to be preserved in larger quantities to the action of the gases within an air-tight rail-
road-car or room for a period of about eight hours, more or less. In either case,
however, after the articles or substances under treatment have thus been exposed
to the action of the gas or gases generated by the combustion of the com-
position for a sufficient length of time to produce the desired result, the box or
receptacle containing them is opened and said articles or substances are exposed to the
air for twenty-four hours (more or less) to allow of the escape of the gas before scaling
them up or packing them away. Fruit, vegetables, meats, eggs, and various other
solid, also different watery or liquid substances may be thus preserved and retain their
natural taste, most fruits even holding their natural color and keeping for years.
Peaches and other fruits may be successfully dried, if previously exposed to the action
of the gas generated by the composition for from six to ten hours, more or less.
Likewise groceries infested with vermin or affected with mold may be purified in a few
hours by exposing them for a few hours to said gas or gases.
The gas generated by the burning of the composition may also be used for general
fumigating purposes, as it is both quick and powerful in its action, and water or other
liquids may be purified by it. Goods treated by it will be free, or nearly so, from any
penetrating or objectionable odor, which is so great an objection, especially in the
case of fruits and preserves, where sulphur in large quantities has been used to effect
their preservation.
In my composition 1 use but a small proportion of sulphur-that is, relatively to the
whole mass of ingredients in the composition-and the other ingredients, which are
powerful antiseptics, will have the effect of making the sulphurous acid scarcely
perceptible, the sandalum or sandalwood having an important action in this respect,
consequently fruits, for instance, preserved by the gas will retain both their color and
flavor, and may be kept for a prolonged period or be shipped thousands of miles
without risk of decay.
I am aware that certain of the ingredients in my composition, including sulphur

page_text: and nitrate of soda, also nitrate of potash, in very different proportions, however, have
before been used for preserving perishable articles or substances. I am also aware
that not only sulphur and nitrate have been used together for this purpose, but that
fragrant barks such as cascarilla-have been used with sulphur in such compounds,
and that sulphur, nitre, and a chloride have been used together. Such, therefore, I do
not claim.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
The within-described fumigating composition for preserving and purifying purposes,
the same consisting of sulphur, nitrate of soda, black oxide of manganese, sandalwood,
and chlorate of potash, in or about the proportions specified.
Dated this 14th dow of inmil 1800
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.