An Improved Composition or Material for Destroying Insects.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Composition or Material for Destroying Insects.
I, CHARLES HENRY HIGBEE, of 36 East Third Street, in the City of New
York, United States of America, Manager of Manufacturing Corporation, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention has for its object the destruction of noxious insects.
A great
number of substances or compositions of matter have been used by farmers,
gardeners, house-keepers, manufacturers and others for the above purpose. Very
many of these substances contain poisonous combinations of arsenic, copper,
phosphorus, and the like, minute quantities of which suffice to kill human beings
and domestic animals. Paris green, which is extensively used to destroy potato
bugs and other insects that infest plants, has, by reason of its poisonous
properties, often destroyed the lives of men aud animals, either because of careless
handling, or because the deadly poison is retained on the plants and is therewith
eaten by animals or persons. And this poison may be and is often blown off the
plants on which it has been put, and is thereby transferred to herbage, grain,
vegetables, fruits, and the like. Many lives of human beings and of domestic
animals are lost in that way annually. Other substances used for destroying
insects are often very objectionable because of their disagreeable odor, which is
communicated to and affects everything with which they come in contact.
My invention is intended to provide an effectual method of destroying insects,
while at the same time avoiding all danger and discomfort to human beings and
animals. I accomplish their destruction by the use of certain compounds of the
element fluorine. I have discovered that the use of said compounds in very
minute quantities will destroy insects. Consequently these compounds may, with
perfect safety, be applied to edible plants or vegetables, and may be used
everywhere. And this use is without danger to animals. The quantity of such
fluorine compound as would be sufficient to constitute a toxic dose for a cow,
would, in solution as herein mentioned, be amply sufficient to destroy all the
potato bugs infesting an acre of potato plants. The surprising fact, that the
effect of an application of such an infinitesimal quantity of said fluorine compounds
is to effectively destroy all kinds of insects, while the plants upon which it has
been placed are not rendered harmful as food for man or animals, is a very
important feature of my invention. Many of the poisonous substances heretofore
used are either tasteless, or attractive in taste to human beings and domestic
animals, and for that reason are especially dangerous, whereas fluorine compounds
are unattractive in taste.
The compounds of fluorine which I employ for the purpose of destroying insects,
are certain soluble ones, viz.:-sodium fluoride, ferric fluoride, the silico-fluorides
of the same bases, hydro-fluo-silicic acid, and the boro-fluo-silicates.
In many instances I use the compounds in solution, and preferably in diluted
form to destroy insects on plants or animals.
In such instances, one per cent. solution in water is the strongest solution which
I employ. The solution may vary from the above mentioned proportion to that
of one part of fluorine compound in five hundred parts of water, according to the
sensitiveness of the thing to be treated. Any suitable means may be employed for

page_text: sprinkling, spraying, or otherwise applying the compound to the infested plants or
animals, or protecting the articles from the insects.
The fluorine compounds are odorless, which is a very great improvement upon
certain of the coal, petroleum and vegetable products, such as napthaline, camphors,
phosphorus and essential oils now employed for the purpose.
For destroying roaches and other insects in buildings and on vessels, I prefer to
employ sodium fluoride and the sodium silico-fluoride, finely pulverized.
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 use of the soluble compounds of fluorine for the purpose of destroying
insects, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of Amil 1806
CHARLES HENRY HIGBEE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.