IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPING MEDICINES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Patent Office, Serle Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of October, in the seventh year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Moses Poole, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Moses Poole, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPING MEDICINES," communicated to me
by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Moses Poole, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say):—
The Invention consists of applying membrane to contain or envelope
medicines in doses suitable to be swallowed whilst contained in such envelopes.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to explain the means employed for preparing
and using animal membrane when performing the Invention. I would, how-
ever, first remark, that medicines have been heretofore enveloped in gelatine,
which, although it prevents the medicine being tasted when in the mouth,
the covering too quickly dissolves, and persons having taken medicines so
enveloped in gelatine have soon after experienced nauseous eructations. The
object therefore in using an organic substance as the material for enveloping
medicines is, to prevent the medicines which are taken therein from being too
quickly released, the membrane resisting the humidity and heat of the stomach,
and in some degree the digestive powers of the gastric juice, and thus the
coverings of medicine so enveloped will not be digested till they arrive in the
intestines, thereby avoiding those disagreeable sensations and nausea heretofore
common when employing gelatine as the material for enveloping medicines.
The coverings of membrane I call capsules; the organic substance preferred
is derived from the small intestine of the sheep or other herbivorous animals,
and the process of preparing the same is similar to that employed by the
makers of harp strings, so far as regards getting it freed from the peritonial,
mucous, and external membranes. The membrane thus obtained being
thoroughly washed in pure water, is then cut into small lengths suitable to be
converted, by a process herein-after described, into capsules calculated to
contain and envelope portions of medicine either fluid or solid. When the
membrane is cut into pieces, as above described, it is desirable to immerse
them in dilute sulphurous acid of the strength of one part acid and ten of
water; this has the effect of preserving the membrane from putrifaction for an
indefinite time.
Figure 1 shews a mandril used in forming the capsules which fits into
holes in the board a, Figure 2, pierced with several holes to receive the lower
ends of the mandrils 6; the size of the mandrils (which I prefer to be of box-
wood) is in proportion to the size of the desired capsules. The mandrils of
wood should be boiled in tallow to prevent the capsules from sticking to them.
The small mandrils thus prepared are ready to be used for making capsules.
The person working is to be sented before a table, having at his left a board

page_text: (a) full of holes to receive the mandrils. In a small vessel is placed a
quantity of the pieces of membrane; he takes a mandril, when a piece of
membrane is drawn over it, as shewn in the Drawing, turning the membrane
inside out in the act of drawing it on the mandril, care being taken to fold
over the end of the membrane so as entirely to close it without leaving too
great a thickness where so folded. This mandril is then placed upon a pierced
board, and the operation is repeated upon numerous other mandrils in like
manner. A single capsule or envelope, such as I have described, is suitable
for medicines the action of which it is desired should be felt speedily in the
stomach; but as a covering to other medicines, such as the balsam of capivi
for instance, I use a double envelope, that is prepared by merely drawing a
piece of the membrane over the mandril on which there is a capsule already.
In the process of drying, the two unite together and form one homogeneous
body. When dry a coat of gelatine is applied, which gives substance, but
this may be dispensed with; the capsules are removed from the mandrils to be
filled. In drawing the capsules off the mandrils it is done by reversing them
so that the part which was inside on the mandril becomes the outside.
I have described the capsule of a single membrane, and also of a double
membrane. The capsules now formed have to be filled, and, for example's
sake, I will suppose the medicine to be employed to be the balsam of capivi.
For filling the capsules an instrument, represented in Figure 3, is used. It
is a small cylinder c, in which is placed the balsam of capivi; d is a small
pump screwed on the upper part of the cylinder c. This pump is destined to
force air upon the capivi, thereby compressing it and obliging it to run from
the cock e. This cock e is small, terminated by a point, and having a very
small passage, so that the capivi is discharged vigorously, but little in quantity.
The foot of this apparatus is of lead, in order to keep it without the risk of
upsetting. The interior of the apparatus is tinned to guard against verdigris.
The cylinder is only filled to the extent of about two thirds with capivi,
leaving space for the air which is to be introduced to compress the capivi. In
proportion as the capivi diminishes air is forced in until it be emptied; on
taking off the pump a fresh supply is put in. It is thus the capsules are
filled. The operator before filling a capsule inserts it into a small mandril,
and with a brush he slightly wets the outside as low down as the place where
the tying will take place. The mandril is then taken out and the capivi filled
in. Two persons should be engaged for filling and tying. The capsule should
be taken with the left hand, and the end pinched with the finger and thumb
so as to reserve a small part where the capivi cannot penetrate. It is then
held to the cock, which is opened with the right hand; when a suflicient

page_text: quantity has fallen the right hand quits the cock to lay hold of the upper part
of the capsule, the second person ties on the thread, which is to be strong and
fine, then the bottom of the capsule which was held between the thumb and
finger is let go. This portion of the capsule being empty now affords larger
space for the capivi, the thread is cut, and also the excess of the capsule.
Without the above precaution the expansion of the capivi might burst the
thread. The capsule being now filled and closed the end where the tie exists
should be dipped in gelatine or liquid gum to give it a uniform appearance.
When dry medicines are to be enveloped, the medicine is to be placed in a
capsule, and the same tied and finished as above described.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details, so long as the peculiar
character of the Invention be retained. But what I claim is, the mode of
enveloping medicines by applying an organic substance or membrane, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-four.