Improvements in the Use and Application of Iron Compounds, such as Sulphate of Iron, for the Purification of Water and for other Sanitary and Curative Purposes.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in the Use and Application of Iron Compounds,
such as Sulphate of Iron, for the Purification of Water and
for other Sanitary and Curative Purposes.
I FRANCIS ROUBILIAC CONDER of Guildford in the County of Surrey Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in dealing with iron compounds in
their use and application for the purification of water and other sanitary and
curative purposes owing to the rapid oxidisation that ensues when the sulphate
of iron or other iron compound is dissolved in water and more particularly if such
water be exposed to the action of the atmosphere as in that case oxidisation at
once commences.
"
Now I have discovered that if the water wherein the sulphate of iron or other
iron compound is dissolved (hereafter called the water of solution") contains &
certain proportion of organic matter oxidisation is thereby checked or prevented;
the organic matter present therein causing such water of solution to hold the iron
therein in a permanent state of solution.
My present invention therefore consists in mixing with the water of solution
either before or at the time of dissolving the sulphate of iron or other iron
compound therein a sufficient portion of solid or dilute organic matter-This
I effect by placing a portion of flesh, cheese, fruit, or other animal or vegetable
substance in such water of solution in such quantity that it will effect the object by
extracting therefrom sufficient organic matter to act freely upon the iron and hold
it in a permanent state of solution.
In lieu of employing any solid animal or vegetable substance I may substitute
therefor sewage, broth, juice or other liquid containing organic matter and mix it
in any suitable proportions with the water of solution.
With regard to the proportion of flesh or other solid animal substance to be
employed I have found that about one ounce of flesh is sufficient to dissolve and
keep in a permanent state of solution about 5 lbs of sulphate of iron placed in a
tank through which a stream of water passes for several days.
With respect to the proportions to be employed of any of the substitutes for
solid animal substance indicated above such proportions would be governed by the
ID 1

page_text: amount of organic matter contained in such substitutes respectively and would be
varied according to the results found to be obtained.
In all cases moreover the strength of the compound solution of organic matter
and sulphate of iron or of their respective equivalents is regulated by the purpose
or purposes for which such compound solution is to be used or applied.
The advantages of my invention are numerous and highly important-They may
be briefly epitomised as follows vizt.
1° By the use of this compound solution sewage and other impure waters can be
readily and effectually purified either in large or small quantities at a considerably
reduced cost.
2° Such compound solution may be applied to vegetable arborescent and animal
life either as a remedy for disease arising from the attacks and ravages of insects or
any form of parasitic life or as a protection from such attacks and in the case of
animal life it may be applied as well internally as externally.
3° Contagion can also be prevented by using such compound solution as a
disinfectant.
In applying my invention to the purification of sewage and other impure waters
when employing flesh or other solid organic substance as hereinbefore mentioned-
I place the same in any suitable receptacle so as to prevent its being carried away
by the current.
When applying it to the protection and preservation of vegetable and arborescent
life as above referred to I apply the same in the form of spray or as a wash or in
any other convenient manner.
When applying it to the protection and preservation of animal life it may be
applied either externally or internally or in both such ways in any convenient
manner.
When applying it for the prevention of contagion I either apply it as a wash or
otherwise as may be most convenient.
"

page_text: Improvements in the Use and Application of Iron Compounds,
such as Sulphate of Iron, for the Purification of Water and
for other Sanitary and Curative Purposes.
I FRANCIS ROUBILIAC CONDER of Guildford, Surrey, Engineer 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:—
Great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in dealing with iron' compounds
in their use and application for the purification of water and other purposes owing
to the rapid oxidisation that ensues when the sulphate of iron or other iron
compound is dissolved in water and more particularly if such water be exposed to
the action of the atmosphere causing a rapid precipitation of the iron.
Now I have discovered that if the water wherein the sulphate of iron or other
iron compound is dissolved (hereafter called the "water of solution") is caused to
contain a certain proportion of organic matter oxidisation is thereby checked or
prevented the organic matter so present causing such water of solution to hold the
iron therein in a permanent state of solution.
My present invention therefore consists in mixing with the water of solution
either before or at or after the time of dissolving the sulphate of iron or other iron
compound therein a sufficient portion of solid or dilute organic matter so as to
check or prevent oxidisation of the iron.'
This I effect by placing from time to time as is found requisite in practice a
proportion of flesh, cheese fruit or other animal or vegetable substance in the water
of solution, such that having regard to the quantity and state of the water operated
upon the water will extract from 'the matter added sufficient organic matter to
act freely upon the iron and hold it in a practically permanent state of solution.
In lieu of introducing solid animal or vegetable substance I sometimes substitute
therefor sewage, broth, juice or other liquid containing organic matter and mix it
in any suitable proportions with the water of solution.
!
With regard to the proportion of flesh or other solid animal substance to be
employed and the period of its employment I have found that about one ounce of
flesh per week is sufficient to dissolve and keep in a permanent state of solution
about 5 lbs of sulphate of iron placed daily in a tank of suitable size say holding
about eight gallons through' which a stream of comparatively pure water passes at
the rate of about fifteen gallons per hour for about a week the organic matter
and the sulphate of iron being mixed freely in the running water as hereinafter
provided.
:
With respect to the proportions to be employed of any of the substitutes for
solid animal substance indicated above such proportions are governed by the amount
of organic matter contained in such substitutes' respectively and must be varied
according to the results found to be obtained thus for instance one lemon or about
two ounces of cheese may be substituted for or 'in some cases used together with
about one ounce of flesh.
A
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A
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page_text: In all cases moreover the strength of the compound solution of organic matter
and sulphate of iron or of their respective equivalents is to be regulated by the
purpose or purposes for which such compound solution is to be used or applied
whether for the purification of water the prevention of contagion or the destruction
of parasitic life..
The advantages of my invention are numerous and highly important—They may
be briefly epitomised as follows vizt.
1° By the use of such compound solution sewage and other impure waters can be
readily and effectually purified either in large or small quantities at an extremely
small cost.
.
2° Such improved solution may be applied to vegetable arborescent and animal
life either as a remedy for disease arising from the attacks and ravages of insects
or any form of parasitic life or as a protection from such attacks and in the case of
animal life it may be applied as well internally as externally.
3° Contagion can also be prevented by using such compound solution as a
disinfectant.
In applying my invention to the purification of sewage and other impure waters
I put the sulphate of iron or other salt as well as the organic matter in suitable
receptacles so as to prevent their being carried away by the current when placed in
the dissolving tank.
Such receptacles may consist of suitable cages made of wire gauze perforated
metal wicker work or other suitable, material-Such cages or receptacles when so
containing the sulphate of iron or other salt and the organic matter are immersed
in the water to be purified or in the water in which the solution is made to such a
depth as will allow of the proper rate of solution per hour having regard to the
state and quantity of water allowed to run through the tank.
The rate of solution depends in a great measure upon the chemical quality and
temperature of the water employed. I have found a perforated cage or cylinder of
about three inches in diameter and eighteen inches long made of porcelain zinc
wicker or other suitable material very convenient for the purpose as it is easy to
dissolve about 1 lb more or less per hour of sulphate of iron in such a cage
immersing it from one to twelve inches according to the quality and temperature
of the water employed the water being allowed to pass through a tank holding say
about 8 gallons at the rate of about 15, gallons per hour.
Although such immersion is perfectly practicable in the sewers themselves yet
I do not recommend its employment except in cases where there is a large flow of
water which is not highly polluted in consequence of the deposit that is found
to take place on the outside of the cage which deposit checks the solution of the
sulphate of iron unless the cage be constantly cleaned.
In cases where the water to be purified is laden with sulphuric acid I manu-
facture economically the sulphate of iron required for purification by causing
metallic iron steel or steel filings to be exposed to the action of the flowing water
so charged.
I regulate the depth to which the cages or solution cylinders are immersed either
by suspending the same at any convenient height or by placing them on steps or
.supports or by the use of a discharge pipe the end of which can be raised or lowered
at pleasure so as to regulate the depth of water in the dissolving tank.
For the application of my preparation of iron to vegetable life I recommend a
strength of approximately one part by weight of metallic iron to about 250 parts
of water:
I further recommend in such application of my invention and in order to make
it is efficacious as possible the use of a small quantity of soft soap dissolved in
water in the proportion of from 1 to 5 parts by weight of soap to 1000 parts of
water to be mixed with the solution of iron my object being to render the same
inore adherent to the surfaces treated The soap however should be dissolved
separately as it will not properly dissolve in the water which is charged with iron.

page_text: When applying the mixture or solution to the protection and preservation of
vegetable and arborescent life as above referred to I apply the same in the form of
spray or as a wash or in any other convenient manner-Or I mix the salt of iron
with oil or grease for external application so as to secure adhesion and enable the
mixture or solution to act more efficiently than it otherwise would.
When applying the remedy to the protection and preservation of animal life
it may be applied either externally or internally or in both such ways in any
convenient manner.
When applying it for the prevention of contagion I either apply it as a wash or
smear or otherwise as may be most convenient.
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
1. The manufacture of artificially prepared solution of iron which is maintained
at the required strength by combining solid or liquid animal or vegetable organic
matter with sulphate of iron or other suitable iron compounds in the form of a
compound mixture or solution or mixtures or solutions substantially in the manner
herein before described.
2. The employment of such compound mixture or solution or mixtures or
solutions for the purification of water and for other sanitary and curative purposes
substantially in the manner herein before described.
Dated this 21st day of September 1850.
ELT & Co.,
33, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London,
Agents for the Applicant.