IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF HYGIENIC AND DISINFECTING SUBSTANCES, AND USE OF THE SAME, AS CANDLES, NIGHT-LIGHTS, AND SUCH LIKE and for as as
Year: 1885

page_text: We, EDWIN BURGES WATSON, Financier, Yokohama, Japan, presently residing
at Cape House, Coolhurst Road, Crouch End, and HENRY BROCK FULTON, Fellow
of the Chemical Society, of 42 Claverton Street, Pimlico, both of London in
the county of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for
"IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF HYGIENIC AND DISINFECTING SUBSTANCES,
AND USE OF THE SAME, AS CANDLES, NIGHT-LIGHTS, AND SUCH LIKE," to be as
follows:-
In a complete specification No. 9,341 filed at the Patent Office on fifth August
1885, we claimed the "Preparation and Application of Improved Hygienic and
Disinfecting substances, for use as Candles, Night-lights, Tapers, Lamp-oil, and
such like, or as external remedies."
In that invention we restricted ourselves to the use of simple and elementary
substances in contradistinction to the compound, and very often complex organic
and inorganic substances which have hitherto been proposed for the purpose-
preferably employing bromine or iodine, simply and alone, and taking advantage
of the ready solubility of these elementary substances, in oils and fats, particularly
those of mineral origin.
When substances such as bromine or iodine are dissolved or suspended in oils or
fats, and the resulting product is consumed in the form of candles, night-lights or
lamp-oil, we find, in practice, that while a portion of the halogens is volatilized
during the combustion-in the free state, a not inconsiderable proportion, in passing
through the flame decomposes the hydrocarbon itself and forins with it, bydro-
bromic, or hydriodic acid as the case may be.
Now, our present improvement consists in preparing the Hygienic and Dis-
infecting substances, for application as Candles, Night-lights, or lamp-oil, in such a
way, that, in burning, the whole, or greater part of the halogens may be given off
to the atmosphere in the free, or elementary state.
To effect this, we intermix with the halogens and hydrocarbon, a minute quantity
of free sulphur.-About one tenth of the weight of Iodine employed, will in most

page_text: cases, be found a sufficient quantity of Sulphur to add, but we do not restrict
ourselves to this, or to any specified quantity.
Sulphur, in its non-allotropic state, may be dissolved in the bydrocarbon, or
other fat employed; or it may be added to the halogens, before or after incor-
porating it with the fat or oil, either as elementary sulphur, or in the condition of
carbon-disulphide, holding sulphur in solution.
.We are aware that in Letters Patent No. 2,884 in the year 1874, granted to
Frank Wirth, it is proposed to prepare a disinfecting candle, by incorporating with
the wax or fat, a certain quantity of sulphur varying from 2 per cent to 20 per
cent, so that in burning, the candle may give off to the atmosphere, fumes of
sulphurous acid; but, in our present improved invention-where, necessarily only
a minute quantity of sulphur is employed, and that only, in conjunction with
halogens, such as bromine or iodine, we avoid the evolution of the stifling fumes
of sulphurous oxide, and we effect the reduction of any halogens acid which may
perchance form, according to the well known equation-(when Iodine is employed)
4 HI + SO₂ = I + S + 2 H₂O.
Elementary Iodine is thus re-produced while the candle or oil is being burned,
and it is in this state dissipated in the atmosphere; while the insignificant quantity
of sulphur employed-undergoing a temporary existence as sulphurous oxide-as
it passes through the flame-is finally discharged into the atmosphere, in the
harmless and innocuous form, of fine sulphur.
Candles prepared by our process may be conveniently coloured, by incorporating
with the wax, a very small quantity of gelatinous starch.
Our improved hygienic and disinfecting compounds are applicable for external
use, in the same way as those claimed in Specification 9,341 of 1885, and, when
so employed, we prefer to make use of oils of the lightest fractions, and wax of low
melting point.
of Cantambor 1985

page_text: Improvement in the Preparation of Hygienic and Disinfecting
Substances, and Use of the same as Candles, Night-lights,
and such like.
We, EDWIN BURCES WATSON, Financier, Yokohama, Japan, lately residing at
Cape House, Coolhurst Road, Crouch End, London N. in the county of Middlesex,
and HENRY BROCK FULTON, Fellow of the Chemical Society, of Bellfield Kirkin-
tilloch in the county of Dumbarton do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF HYGIENIC & DISINFECTING SUBSTANCES,
& USE OF THE SAME AS CANDLES, NIGHT-LIGHTS & SUCH LIKE, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
The object of the invention is, so to prepare Candles, night-lights, lamp oil,
or other similar illuminating agents, that, in burning, they shall yield to the
atmosphere, vapours of a salutory and disinfecting nature; or, that the substances,
similarly prepared, may be of value, as remedies, for external application.
In a former patent, number 9,341 bearing date, fifth August 1885, we claimed
the preparation and application of candles &c. to the essential constituents of
which, bromine, or preferably iodine, had been added.
In practice we have found, that when Candles, Night-lights, or lamp oil, so
prepared, are consumed, a very insignificant portion of the iodine employed in their
preparation, is dissipated in the atmosphere, in its elementary state, the greater
part of it combining with hydrogen of the hydrocarbon wax or oil, to yield
hydriodic acid. Now, we have discovered that when a minute quantity of
sulphur-or of any compound of sulphur, which, when ignited, yields sulphur.
dioxide is added to the wax or oil, holding iodine in solution, hydriodic acid
evolved from the burning candle, night-light, or oil, is immediately re-converted
into elementary iodine, according to the equation :-
4 HI + SO₂ = I + S + 2 H₂O.
and is, in this condition, dispersed throughout the atmosphere.
In the preparation of candles or night-lights for general use, or in sick rooms,
we prefer to employ one part by weight, of flowers of sulphur, and two parts by
weight of sublimed iodine, for every thousand parts by weight of wax or fat of
suitable melting point. The sulphur need not be dissolved in the melted wax or
fat, but if not, it must he thoroughly disseminated throughout it. For disinfecting
foul chambers &c, candles or night-lights containing three or four times the above
proportions of iodine and of sulphur, may be employed with advantage, but we
do not confine ourselves to any definite proportion, either of halogens or of
sulphur.
Our improved hygienic and disinfecting compounds, containing sulphur, as well
as bromine or iodine, are applicable for external use in the same way as those
claimed in patent No 9,341 of 1885, and when so applied, we prefer to make use
of oils of the lightest fractions, and wax of low melting point, in their preparation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is—
First the preparation of hygienic and disinfecting compounds, consisting of
wax, fats, or oils, in which is dissolved a comparatively small quantity of elementary
bromine or iodine, and to which, is added, a still smaller quantity of elementary
sulphur, or its equivalent of a compound containing sulphur, and, the employment
of these as Candles, Night-lights, or lamp oil, substantially as set forth.
Second-the preparation of hygienic and disinfecting compounds consisting of
wax, fats, or oils, preferably wax of low melting point, and hydrocarbon oils of
low specific gravity, in which bromine or iodine is dissolved, and to which sulphur,
or a compound containing sulphur is added, and the employment of these as
external remedies in certain cases, substantially as set forth."