THE TREATMENT OF SULPHATE OF ALUMINE OF COMMERCE, AND ITS FORMATION OF COMPOUNDS USEFUL FOR THE DISINFECTING OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN A STATE OF PUTREPACTION, AS WELL AS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Moll, Merchant, of Cologne, in the Kingdoin
of Prussia, for the Invention of "THE TREATMENT OF SULPHATE OF
ALUMINE OF COMMERCE, AND ITS FORMATION OF COMPOUNDS USEFUL FOR THE
DISINFECTING OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN A STATE OF PUTREPACTION, AS
WELL AS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th August 1856, and dated the 21st February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION: left by the, said Isaac Moll at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st February
1856.
I, ISAAC MOLL, Merchant, of Cologne, in the Kingdom of Prussia, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for THE TREATMENT OF
SULPHATE OF ALUMINE OF COMMERCE, AND ITS FORMATION OF COMPOUNDS USEFUL FOR
THE DISINFECTING OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN A STATE OF PUTREFACTION, AS WELL
AS FOR OTHER PURPOSES, to be as follows:-
These processes are called by me disinfectant. The object of my Invention
is to bring into general use the application of sulphate of alum (of commerce)
as a disinfectant, an application which has not hitherto been made for different
reasons. The object of the treatinent, which I am now about to describe, is to
form a solid body capable of being reduced to a powder which can resist the
action of humidity & of the atmosphere, 'at the same time preserving for the
greatest part a facility of dissolution, which can be easily used either in a solid
or liquid state, as the case may be.
This method consists, 1st, in evaporating the solutions of sulphate of alum,
such as are usually procured in the way of trade, and to reduce them to
the greatest possible degree of concentration, so that when cool they may
become solid masses, which may be melted into any form that may be judged

page_text: convenient. When these sulphates of alum contain too much sulphate of iron,
that can be got rid of, first, by the process of crystallization, if it be thought
advisable; though this process is not necessary, seeing that the sulphate of iron
has also a disinfecting quality, its presence would therefore not be perceptible.
2ndly, I add to the sulphate of alum, alkalies, either base or salt, separately,
or mixed with several others. In doing this, my object is to envelope the
sulphate of alum, either in a crystalline, gelatinous, or any other texture, so
that the damp has little or no power over it. It is in this that my Invention
consists. This, for example, in adding to the sulphate of alumine, soda,
potash, or ammonia, these alkalies will decompose a part of the sulphate of
alumine, and will form a sulphate of soda, of potash, or of ammonia, which
alum, of soda, of potash, or of ammonia, with another part of the sulphate of
alumine, while another portion of alumine will be separated and retained
in the crystalline textures, which will envelope the sulphate of alum not
In
decomposed, will thus prevent the action of humidity upon it in this state.
using a solution of salts, either sulphate or muriate of soda, of potash, of
ammonia, &c., the effect is nearly the same, with the exception that no alumine
is precipitated. We can also use whiting, a solution of lime, baryte, or of
magnesia, &c., and the result will be a decomposition of sulphate of alumine,
and a formation of sulphate of lime, of magnesia, or of baryte, &c., which,
mixed with the alum separated from its acid, constitutes an enduit, more or less
gelatinous, which will also resist the action of humidity after it has been
thoroughly dried.
Without including in my Invention the use of an alkali, either base or
salt, which will have the effect of producing from the sulphate of alumine
of commerce, in a solid or liquid state, this effect, which I omit to set
forth, I guide myself in this matter more or less according to convenience,
as I find it the same, as I reserve to myself the right of employing sulphate of
alumine under any form whatever, to operate upon a solution of these products
of any density whatever, to add to them base or salt alkalies of any description
whatever, and their solution by any concentration whatever, such as the
nature and composition of several ingredients upon which I operate to attain
my object would require, in fact not confining myself to the mode of obtaining
the desired continuations, the proportions to use, and the degree of temperature
necessary to obtain the desired result. I use, preference, lime, and work it as
follows-I add the lime hydratic in powder, in the proportion of 5 to 10 p
cent. to the sulphate of alum in concentrated solution by heat; I use the
mixture in mixing; I put them, in the moulds, and after cooling them, I
reduce the whole to a powder, and leave it in any shape I please. I employ

page_text: lime in preference, because it is cheaper than the other ingredients, and
because it is found almost everywhere, and that the state of sulphate of lime in
which it is found to be transformed. It is naturally adapted for decomposition by,
salts of ammonia, which are found in organic substances in putrefaction, upon
which we operate, and which form insoluble combinations with carbonic acid
or sulphur, phosphate or sulphuric acid of these same substances, in all which
substances its presence can be detected. The abundance of the materials,
their cheapness, and the facility of application, speak much in favor of the
process and the products. The quantity of the disinfectant to be employed
must be regulated according to the degree of putrefaction of the substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Isaac Moll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th August
1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
MOLL, Merchant, of Cologne, in the Kingdom of Prussia, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Isaac Moll, Her special licence that I, the said Isaac Moll,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Isaac Moll, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "THE TREATMENT OF
SULPHATE OF ALUMINE OF COMMERCE, AND ITS FORMATION OF COMPOUNDS USEFUL FOR
THE DISINFECTING OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN A STATE OF PUTREFACTION, AS WELL
AS FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Isaac {Moll,
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that, I, the said .Isaac Moll, do hereby declare the
nature, of, my.. said. Invention, and in what manner, the same, is to be per-
formed, to be,particularly described and ascertained; in and by the following
statement
**These processes are called by me, disinfectant. The object of my Invention
is. to bring into general use the.application of sulphate of, alumine (of commerce)
as a disinfectant, an application which has not hitherto been made, for different
reasons. The object of the treatment, which I am now about to describe, is to
form a solid body. capable of being reduced to a powder which can resist the
action of, humidity and of the atmosphere; at the same, time preserving for the
greatest part a facility of dissolution, which can be easily used either in a solid
or liquid state, as the case may be.
This method consists, 1st, in evaporating the solutions of sulphate of alum,
such as are usually procured in the way of trade, and to reduce them to the
greatest possible degree, of, concentration, so that when cool they may become
solid masses, which inay bé melted into any form that may be judged convenient.
When these sulphates of alumine contain too much sulphate of iron, that
can be got rid of, first,. by the process.of.crystallization, if it be thought advisable,
though this process is not necessary; seeing that the sulphate of iron has also
a disinfecting quality, its presence therefore would not be perceptible....
2ndly, I add to the sulphate of alumine, alkalies, either base or salt, separately,
or mixed with several others. In doing this my object is to, envelop the
sulphate. of alumine either in a crystalline, gelatinous, or any other texture, so.
that the damp has little or. no power over it. It is in. this that my Invention
consists. Thus, for example, in adding to the sulphate, of alumine,: soda, potash,
or.ammonia, these alkalies will decompose a part of the sulphate, of alumine, and
will form a sulphate of soda, of potash, or of ammonia, which alum of soda, of
potash, or of ammonia, with another part of the sulphate of alumine, while
another portion of the alumine will be separated and retained, in the crystalline
textures, which. will envelop the sulphate.of alumine not decomposed, will thus
prevent the action of humidity upon it in this state: In using a solution of
salts; either sulphate or muriate of soda, of potash, of, ammonia, &c., the effect
is nearly the same, with the .exception that no.alumine, is precipitated. We
can also use whiting, a solution of baryte, or of magnesia, &c.; and the
result will be a decomposition of sulphate, of: alumine, and a formation of,
sulphate of lime, of magnesia or of baryte, &c, which mixed with the alum
separated from its-acid, constitutes an enduit, more or less gelatinous, which
will also resist the action of humidity after it: has been thoroughly dried.
Without including in my Invention the use of an alkaliteither base) or salt,.

page_text: which will have the effect of producing from the sulphate of alumine of
commerce in a solid or liquid state this effect, which I omit to set forth, I
guide myself in this matter more or less according to convenience, as I find it
the same, as I reserve to myself the right of employing sulphate of alumine
under any form whatever, to operate upon a solution of these products of any
density whatever, to add to them base or salt alkalies of any description
whatever, and their solution by any concentration whatever, such as the nature
and composition of several ingredients, upon which I operate to attain my
object, would require, in fact not confining myself to the mode of obtaining
the desired combinations, the proportions to use, and the degree of temperature
necessary to obtain the desired result. I use, preference, lime, and work it as
follows: I add the lime hydratic, in powder, in the proportion of five to ten
per cent. to the sulphate of alum in concentrated solution by heat; I use the
mixture in mixing; I put them in the moulds, and after cooling them I reduce
the whole to a powder, and leave it in any shape I please. I employ lime
in preference, because it is cheaper than the other ingredients, and because it
is found almost everywhere, and, that the state of sulphate of lime in which
it is found to be transformed. It is naturally adapted for decomposition
by salts of ammonia, which are found in organic substances in putrefaction,
upon which we operate, and which form insoluble combinations with carbonic
acid, or sulphur, phosphate, or sulphuric acid of these same substances, in
all which substances its presence can be detected. The abundance of the
materials, their cheapness, and the facility of application speak much in favor
of the process and the products. The quantity of the disinfectant to be
employed must be regulated according to the degree of putrefaction of the
substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Moll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteen day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
ISAAC MOLL
(L.S.)