IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR MANURE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dewar, Doctor of Medicine, residing in
Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife, North Britain, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR
MANURE."
.
Sealed the 22nd April 1870, and dated the 19th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dewar at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1870.
I, JAMES DEWAR, Doctor of Medicine, residing in Kirkcaldy, in the
County of Fife, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR
MANURE," to be as follows: .
I take bones, coprolites, and shells of fish, substances which contain
valuable manurial constituents, but which are not naturally easily
soluble, and consequently are slow in their operation as manure, and for
the purpose of making them more rapidly operative I subject them to
the action of the alkali waste called soda ley (such as is obtained from

page_text: ·
the soda used in preparing the rags, esparto grass, and other materials
for the manufacture of paper) by steeping the bones, coprolites, and
shells therein. In using soda ley I utilize a substance which is generally
lost, and which when it finds its way into rivers may be deleterious.
By the action of the soda ley the bones, coprolites, and shells become
friable and more easily soluble, and are thereby rendered more suitable
for manure. I subject them to a longer or shorter treatment with the
soda ley according to the character of the manure which I wish to
prepare. When I wish to prepare a manure which shall be slow in its
action, or what is known as a "nursing" manure, I subject the bones,
coprolites, and shells to a shorter treatment with the soda ley, and I
find that if they are broken or reduced into small pieces and are then
subjected to such a length of treatment with the soda ley as to leave
them in a partially decomposed or dissolved condition they are very
suitable for a manure of that description. When I wish to prepare a
manure which shall act more rapidly I make the treatment with the
soda ley longer, and I find that it facilitates the process to crush or
grind the bones, coprolites, and shells previous to subjecting them to the
treatment. The soda ley itself absorbs a portion of the gelatine and
phosphoric acid contained in the bones, and the product forms a strong
manurial compound which may be used either separately or mixed with
the other substances treated as aforesaid. It may also be mixed with
other suitable manurial matter of a solid description so as to render its
application as manure more easy and convenient. The treatment may
be expedited by boiling the bones, coprolites, and shells in the soda ley
instead of steeping them in the unheated liquid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Dewar in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES 30
DEWAR, Doctor of Medicine, residing in Kirkcaldy, in the County of
Fife, North Britain, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in tho 35

page_text: thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Dewar, Her special
licence that I, the said James Dewar, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Dewar, 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 CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR MANURE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Dewar, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 James Dewar, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The nature of my Invention consists in rendering bones, coprolites,
and shells of fish more suitable for the purposes of manure by subjecting
them to the alkaline treatment herein-after described. The substances
above mentioned, viz., bones, coprolites, and shells, have been long
known to contain valuable manurial constituents, but they are not easily
soluble and consequently are slow in operation as manure, but by my
Invention they are rendered friable and more easily soluble, and con-
sequently much more useful as manurial agents.
.
The manner in which my Invention is to be performed is as
follows I take the bones, copolites, and shells and subject them to the
action of the alkali liquor commonly called soda ley, which I prefer
being of the strength commonly used in the manufacture of paper
from esparto grass. The soda ley which I prefer to employ is that
obtained from the soda which has been used in the manufacture of paper,
because I find its employment economical, and because I thereby utilize

page_text: a substance which is generally lost, and which when it finds its way
into rivers or watercourses may be deleterious, but I do not restrict
my Invention to the use of that particular kind of soda ley but, use
any kind of alkaline liquor suitable for the purpose. The bones;
coprolites, and shells are subjected to the soda ley for a shorter or longer
period according to the character of the manure to be prepared. For a
manure which shall be comparatively slow in its action I subject the
bones, coprolites, and shells to simple alkaline treatment or immersion,
and I find that if they are broken into small pieces and then subjected
to the action of the soda ley of the kind obtained from paper manu-
facture as above-mentioned for a period of about fourteen days they
become partially dissolved and are suitable for a manure of a lasting
character. For a manure which shall act more rapidly I modify the
treatment with the soda ley, and accordingly I find that it facilitates
the process to crush or grind the bones, coprolites, and shells previously
to subjecting them to the alkaline treatment, and when thus crushed
or ground I find that exposure to the action of the soda ley of the
description last-mentioned for a period of about eight days will reduce
the bones, coprolites, and shells to a condition in which they will be
suitable for a more active manure.
The process may also be further expedited by boiling the bones,
coprolites, and shells at the ordinary atmospheric pressure in the soda
ley instead of steeping them in the unheated liquid. By this means I
find that after being crushed or ground and then boiled for about twenty-
four hours the bones, coprolites, and shells will be rendered fit for an
active manure, and if the boiling take place under high pressure the
time required for the process may be still further reduced. The quantity
of soda ley which I use is so much as will keep the substances subjected
to its action completely immersed, and more should be added as the
liquid is reduced by evaporation. The soda ley used either hot or cold
dissolves or acquires a large portion of the gelatine and phosphoric
acid contained in the bones, and I find the product to be a valuable
manurial compound, which may be used either separately or mixed with
the other substances treated as aforesaid. The substances treated as
before directed and the soda ley in which they have been steeped may
also be mixed with such other suitable manurial matter as convenience
may suggest.

page_text: I do not claim as my Invention the use of bones, coprolites, or shells
for manure, except the same be subjected to the alkaline treatment
herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Dewar, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord Eighteen hundred and seventy.
JAMES DEWAR. (L.S.)
JAMES DEWAR. (L.S.)