Improvements in the Manufacture of Disinfectants or Antiseptics.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Disinfectants or Antiseptics.
1, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Dr. F. Von Heyden (Nachfolger) of
Radebeul near Dresden in the Empire of Germany to be as follows:-
It is known that cresol is far superior as a disinfectant to phenol and all other
bodies of the aromatic group but its insolubility in water is an impediment to its
employment for clinical or medicinal surgical and like purposes as a substitute for
the higher priced phenol.
It is known that cresol solutions can be obtained with the aid of diluted hydro-
chloric and sulphuric acids or with soap but these solutions present disadvantages
which preclude their employment for medical purposes.
A model or perfect disinfectant for medical purposes would be obtained if such a
powerful disinfecting agent as cresol could be obtained in the form of a watery
solution in the same way as phenol.
It has now been discovered in the first place that a disinfectant containing cresol,
xylenol and the like capable of being diluted with water without separation of
cresol etc. can be obtained with the aid of salts of alkalies or earthy alkalies as
hereinafter described.
For example it is found that a nearly concentrated, watery solution of salicylate
of soda can be mixed with cresol in any proportion and that with sufficient quantities
of the salicylate the cresol does not separate again in diluting the solution.
When to twelve parts by weight for example of sodium salicylate ten parts by
weight of water are added no solution takes place at low temperatures but when
five parts by weight of cresol are mixed with these ingredients a clear solution
results which can be diluted as required without separation of the cresol. ———.
It makes little difference whether o- m or p- cresol or mixtures thereof with one
another or with phenols of higher boiling point be employed. In place of the
higher boiling phenols of coal tar it is possible to employ the phenols of
brown coal tar, wood tar, blast furnace tar, and the like. Solutions are likewise
obtained with salicylate of soda and such phenols as contain neutral hydrocarbons.
The salicylate of soda may be replaced by other salicylates such for example as
ammonium, potassium or calcium salicylates or by the salts of any of the ortho oxy
benzene carbon acids.
The dissolving power of the o oxy benzene sulphon acids is somewhat less. On
the other hand the salts of p oxy benzene carbon acids and oxy benzene sulphou
acids exert no remarkable influence on the solubility of the higher boiling phenols
in water.
The benzoic acid salts and their homologues the benzene sulphon acid salts and
their homologues act somewhat less strongly than salicylates.
The corresponding naphthaline derivatives of all the bodies above mentioned as
producing the solution of cresol operate in the same way and mostly in a higher
degree.
The following table gives the organic salts that are found to be available. The
proportions of the mixture required for obtaining the solution of the cresol are also
given for those salts which possess the greatest practical importance.
The mixture is effected simply by stirring the materials together.
Solutions which when diluted to any desired extent with water do not separate

page_text: Either absolute or diluted alcohol can be employed as the dissolving agent in place
of water.
It has further been now discovered that in place of the above mentioned salts of
organic acids the salts of phenols and naphthols are also very well adapted for
obtaining watery solutions of cresols and the higher phenols.
With 32 parts by weight (32 kilos) of cresol 8 parts (8 kilos) of caustic soda
and 32 parts (32 kilos) of water for example a solution is obtained containing
11 parts (11 kilos) of free cresol and which can be diluted as required without
separation of cresol.
A corresponding solution results when 10 parts (10 kilos) of calcined lime are
employed in place of the sodium hydroxide. This solution contains from 12 to 13 kilos
or parts by weight of free cresol and from 19 to 20 kilos or parts by weight of
O-CH⭑CH,
cresol in the form of a readily soluble cresol calcium Ca
\0 − CH,CH
1
This can likewise be easily diluted without separation and forms a disinfecting or
antiseptic agent suitable for other than medical purposes in which the disinfecting
power of the disinfecting carbolic acid of commerce (mainly composed of cresols) is
This consists chiefly
perfectly utilised contrarily to the carbolic lime of commerce.
of lime mixed with basic cresol calcium; the latter being almost insoluble in
water the disinfecting action of carbolic lime is apparently to be ascribed to the
excess of lime.
In place of the cresol and crude carbolic acid of commerce higher boiling phenols
from suitable tars and naphthols can also be employed in the preparation of these
disinfecting agents.
Instead of mixing these bodies with water and with a base in quantity insufficient
to form a salt as in the above mentioned example the saturated alkaline or earthy
alkaline salt of the phenols employed may be prepared in the first instance and then
mixed with water and with the free phenols to form a solution.
Dated this 12th day of June 1890.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Disinfectants or Antiseptics.
I. JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Dr. F. Von Heyden [Nachfolger] of Radebeul
near Dresden, in the Empire of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement—
It is known that cresols, xylenols and higher boiling phenols are far superior as
a disinfectant to other phenols of the aromatic group but their insolubility in water
is an obstacle to their employment for clinical, medicinal, surgical and like purposes
as a substitute for the higher priced phenols.
Laplace, Jäger, Fränkel and Ohlmüller discovered that cresol solutions could be
obtained in diluted hydrochloric and sulphuric acids and that they were a remarkably
efficient preventative against decomposition or putrefaction but this solution being
a strongly acid liquid is unsuited for clinical purposes. Soap or saponaceous matter
is also known to be capable of dissolving cresol and soluble mixtures of cresols with
soap are known in commerce as Sapocarbol. Mixtures of various proportions of
soap with phenols of high boiling point and hydrocarbons are also sold as nostrums
or secret remedies under the nanie of Creoline. These solutions of cresol in soap
solutions certainly admit of being employed medicinally but compared to the
ordinary watery carbolic acid solutions they present the following disadvantages
namely:
1. They have an alkaline reaction and oxidise in consequence when exposed to
the air in the same way as do all the alkaline solutions of phenols generally.
2. The hands or any surface with which they have come in contact are rendered
slippery or greasy in a manner which is liable to interfere with the work of a
surgeon.
By means of the present invention a most satisfactory and efficient disinfectant
for medical purposes is obtained by preparing cresols, xylenols and higher boiling
phenols in the form of a watery solution similar to the solutions of pure car-
bolic acid.
My foreign correspondent has discovered in the first place that a disinfectant
containing cresol, xylenol or higher boiling phenols capable of being diluted with
water without separation of the phenols can be obtained with the aid of salts of
alkalies or of salts of earthy alkalies as hereinafter described.
For example it is found that a nearly concentrated watery solution of salicylate
of soda can be mixed with cresol in any proportion and that with sufficient quantities
of the salicylate of soda the cresol does not separate again in diluting the
solution.
When to twelve parts by weight for example of sodium salicylate ten parts by
weight of water are added no solution takes place at low temperatures but when
five parts by weight of cresol are added and mixed with these ingredients a clear
solution is obtained which can be diluted as required without separation of the cresol.
It makes little difference whether ortho- meta- or para-cresol or mixtures of these
cresols with one another or with xylenols and other phenols of higher boiling point
be employed. In place of the higher boiling phenols of ordinary coal tar it is
possible to employ the phenols of brown coal tar, wood tar, blast furnace tar and
the like. From such phenols as contain neutral hydrocarbons solutions suitable
for the purposes of the present invention are likewise obtained by means of salicylate
of soda.
In place of salicylate of soda other salicylates such for example as ammonium

page_text: potassium or calcium salicylates or the salts of any of the ortho oxy benzene carbon
or carboxy acids may be employed.
The dissolving power of the salts of ortho oxy benzene sulpho acids is somewhat
less. On the other hand the salts of para oxy benzene carboxy acids and para oxy
benzene sulpho acids exert no remarkable influence on the solubility of cresols and
the higher boiling phenols in water.
The benzoic acid salts or their homologues, benzene sulpho acid salts or their
homologues act somewhat less strongly than salicylates. The corresponding
naphthaline derivatives of all the bodies above mentioned as producing the solution
of cresol or the like operate in the same way and mostly in a higher degree.
The following table gives the organic salts that are found to be available. The
proportions of the mixture required for obtaining the solution of the cresol or the
like are given for those salts only which possess the greatest practical importance.
The mixture can be effected simply by stirring the materials together.
Solutions which when diluted to any desired extent with water do not separate
from the phenols are obtained with the following materials namely :-

page_text: 26. 17 kilos benzene sulpho acid salt of sodium, 5 kilos cresol.
27.
Benzene
28.
sulpho acid
salts
29.
30.
Toluol
Xylol
59
22
:> 22
22
23
"
29
Trimethyl benzene sulpho acid salt of sodium.
Chlorinated benzene, toluene, xylol, or tri-methyl
benzene sulpho acid salts.
Instead of the above named sodium salts, the other alkaline salts and earthy
alkaline salts may be used.
Also with the naphthaline derivatives corresponding to the 4 above mentioned
groups.
31. 4 kilos Alpha-oxy naphthoic acid salt of sodium, 5 kilos cresol,
9 kilos water.
32. Beta oxy naphthoic acid salt of sodium.
33. Alpha naphthol sulpho acid salt of sodium.
34. 13 kilos Beta naphthol sulpho acid salt of sodium (Bayer),
5 kilos cresol.
35. Beta naphthol sulpho acid salt of sodium (Schäffer) [less
suitable than No. 34].
36. Naphthoic acid salt of sodium.
37. Naphthaline sulpho acid salt of sodium and chloro naphthaline
sulpho acid salt of sodium.
38. Anthracene sulpho acid salt of sodium.
Instead of the above named sodium salts, the other alkaline salts and earthy
alkaline salts may be used.
It is of course immaterial whether the prepared salts be employed in making the
mixture or the free acids with corresponding quantities of the base or carbonate.
In preparing the solution as herein before described absolute or diluted alcohol can
be employed as the dissolving agent in place of the water.
My foreign correspondent has further discovered that instead of the above
mentioned salts of organic acids the salts of phenols and naphthols are also very
well adapted for obtaining watery or alcoholic solutions of cresols and the higher
phenols.
With 32 parts by weight of cresol 8 parts of caustic soda and 32 parts of water
for example a solution is obtained containing 11 parts of free cresol and which can
be diluted as required without separation of cresol.
A corresponding solution results when 10 parts of calcined lime are employed in
place of the sodium hydroxide. This solution contains from 12 to 13 parts of free
cresol and from 19 to 20 parts of cresol in the form of a readily soluble cresol
This can likewise be easily diluted without separation and forms a disinfecting or
antiseptic agent suitable for other than medical purposes in which the disinfecting
power of the disinfecting carbolic acid of commerce (mainly composed of cresols) is
perfectly utilised contrarily to what takes place in the case of carbolic lime of
commerce. This consists chiefly of lime mixed with basic cresol calcium; the latter
being almost insoluble in water the disinfecting action of carbolic lime is apparently
to be ascribed to the excess of lime.
In place of cresols and crude carbolic acid of commerce, the higher boiling
phenols obtained from suitable tars and the naphthols can also be employed in the
preparation of the herein before described disinfectants of alkaline reaction.
Instead of mixing these bodies with water and with a base in quantity insufficient

page_text: to form a salt as in the above mentioned example the saturated alkaline or earthy
alkaline salt of the phenol may be prepared in the first instance and then be mixed
with.water and with the free phenols to form a solution.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
The manufacture of disinfectants or antiseptics containing cresol, xylenol and the
higher boiling phenols and in which no separation of phenol takes place when
diluted with water by taking ortho-, meta-, or para-cresol or mixtures of these
cresols with one another or with other higher boiling phenols or tar products and
mixing them with water or alcohol and with (1) the alkaline salts or earthy alkaline
salts of benzene carboxy acids and benzene sulpho acids, ortho oxy benzene carboxy
acids and ortho oxy benzene sulpho acids, naphthaline carboxy acids and naphthaline
sulpho acids, ortho oxy naphthaline carboxy acids and ortho oxy naphthaline
sulpho acids or anthracene sulpho acids or with (2) the alkaline or carthy alkaline
salts of cresols naphthols and of other higher boiling tar phenols substantially as
herein before described.
A
1. 1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.