IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE QUINOIDINE OF COMMERCE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Maxwell Blews, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE QUINOIDINE OF COMMERCE."-A com-
munication from abroad by Dr. J. E. de Vrij, of the Hague, in the
Kingdom of Holland.
Sealed the 30th October 1874, and dated the 1st May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry
Maxwell Blews at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 1st May 1874.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MAXWELL BLEWS, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE QUINOIDINE OF COMMERCE," to
be as follows:-
:-
This Inventon consists in treating the dark brown solution of the
quinoidine of commerce (in acids) by means of a solution of hyposulphite
of sodium. By the action of the hyposulphite of sodium the solution is
deprived of a dark resinous matter. The quinoidine thus purified forms
with acids very soluble compounds which do not melt at a temperature
of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and form a powder which is only very
slightly coloured.
This powder is largely soluble is distilled water

page_text: forming a perfectly clear yellow solution which has an alkaline reaction,
and if concentrated is not made turbid by diluting it with a large bulk
of water.
In place of hypo-sulphite of sodium the haloid salts of the alkaline
metals may be used.
The proportions which have been found to answer in practice are
from one to six parts by weight of hyposulphite of sodium to three
parts by weight of the quinoidine of commerce. After the addition of
the hyposulphite of sodium to the solution of quinoidine the mixture is
heated to a temperature of about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, by which the
purifying action is promoted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Maxwell Blews in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY MAXWELL BLEWS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
I seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Maxwell Blews,
Her special license that I, the said William Henry Maxwell Blews,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Henry Maxwell Blews, my èxecutors, administrators, and
, assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE QUINOIDINE CF
COMMERCE," a communication to me from abroad by Dr. J. E. de Vrij, of
the Hague, in the Kingdom of Holland, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Maxwell Blews, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or

page_text: 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 Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
о
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Maxwell Blews,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention consists in treating the dark brown solution of the
quinoidine of commerce in acids by means of a solution of hyposulphite
of sodium. By the action of the hyposulphite of sodium the solution is
deprived of a dark resinous matter. The quinoidine thus purified forms
with acids very soluble compounds which do not melt at a temperature
of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and form a powder which is slightly colored.
This powder is largely soluble in distilled water, forming a perfectly clear
yellow solution which has an alkaline reaction, and if concentrated is
not made turbid by diluting it with a large bulk of water.
In place of hyposulphite of sodium the haloid salts of the alkaline
metals may be used.
The proportions which have been found to answer in practice are
from one to six parts by weight of hyposulphite of sodium to three
parts by weight of quinoidine of commerce. After the addition of the
hyposulphite of sodium to the solution of quinoidine, the mixture is
heated to a temperature of about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, by which the
purifying action is promoted.
The Invention is carried into effect in the following manner :-
324 parts by weight of quinoidine (that is the brown resinous matter
precipitated from the mother liquors in the quinine manufactures) are
dissolved in a mixture of 50 parts by weight of sulphuric acid, and 1620
parts by weight of water. When all the quinoidine has been dissolved
the solution has a slight acid reaction upon blue litmus paper.
heating the solution a weak solution of caustic soda is carefully added
till the liquor tested by red litmus paper shows an alkaline reaction,
5 whereby a black resinous matter is precipitated. To this alkaline liquor
is now added a solution of hyposulphite of sodium. By this addition a
copious dark coloured syrupy precipitate is formed. After subsiding the
After

page_text: clear yellow colored solution is decanted and the precipitate treated
with boiling water. After cooling and subsiding the clear liquor is
deccanted and added to the first liquor. The mixture of the two liquors
is turbid, but becomes quite clear when it is heated; then the clear
liquor is mixed with an excess of caustic soda, whereby the purified
alkaloid, that is, the chinioidin is precipitated in the shape of a soft
yellow viscid substance; this is washed with water for removing the
excess of soda, and the sodium sulphate which has been formed; after
which the alkaloid is transformed into neutral sulphate by treating it
with diluted sulphuric acid till the alkaloid is dissolved. The solution
if properly prepared is then evaporated at a temperature not exceeding
212 degrees Fahrenheit, till it leaves a hard greyish yellow colored
brittle substance, which must be powdered and preserved in well stoppered
bottles as it is exceedingly hygroscopic. If well prepared this powder
must not change its appearance if heated on a water bath. It must be
soluble in every amount of water, forming a clear solution which shows
an alkaline reaction upon red litmus paper. If a few drops of a solution
of sodium hyposulphite are added to this solution it may become slightly
turbid, but this turbidity will entirely disappear by gently heating the
mixture.
The purified alkaloid, the chinioidin may be combined with other
acids besides sulphuric acid, with which other acids it makes compounds
analogous to the described sulphate.
I claim as the said Invention purifying the quinoidine of commerce
by the processes or combination of processes herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Maxwell Blews,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM HENRY MAXWELL BLEWS. (L.S.)
HENRY SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.