Improved Chemical Product for Antiseptic Purposes, and Burner or Device for Utilising the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Chemical Product for Antiseptic Purposes, and Burner
or Device for Utilising the same.
I, ANDRÉ GUASCO, of 21, Rue de Bellefonds, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The characteristic property of platinum and of the metals of the same source,
termed the "catalytic property, consists in absorbing the gases, condensing
them in their pores similarly to a mechanical compressor, and from this results
an increase in temperature and the combustion of certain of them.
This property, which is purely mechanical as far as the metal is concerned,
occasions chemical reactions a certain number of which are very important, among
others those which relate to the decomposition of alcohols and to the production of
aldehydes, which are capable of being utilised practically with advantage to
the public health owing to the property which they possess of assuring the dis-
infection of all contaminated spots.
Platinum is an exceedingly costly metal, all the more so in that its density is
so great, it being, in fact the metal of the greatest density.
After endeavouring for a long time to utilise its remarkable property in different
combinations, the inventor has succeeded in forming a composition with which
the catalytic property of the metal may be developed in proportions hitherto
unattainable.
In this body, it may be said that each metallic molecule fulfils not only the
whole of its function, but that the maximum of dehydrogenating power is obtained
in such a manner that in cases in which it formerly required a gramme of platinum
for example to burn ten grammes of alcohol, the same result may be obtained
with four milligrammes.
It will readily be seen, from the ratio of 1 to 250, what results may be obtained
from this product, the condensing property of which is considerably increased,
not to mention other advantages enabling the production of industrial appliances
of an improved action as compared with those for which platinum is employed.
In addition to the increase of the chemical dehydrogenating power, it should
be remembered that this novel composition, consisting principally of asbestos and
of metal under the special conditions hereinafter defined, comes under the category
of refractory bodies, the calorific properties of which are diametrically opposed to
those of the metals.
The consequences of this refractory condition are multiple; thus in the principal
case with which we are now concerned, that of the combustion of alcohol, the
active substance having been raised to a red heat is very readily maintained at
this temperature, not only on account of the greater energy of the chemical com-
bination, but also because it conserves the heat, contrary to what is the case with
metals which radiate it with the greatest facility.

page_text: Inis novel product ainers essentiany from the sponge or black either or plaunum
or of palladium, by the following properties:-
1. Bad conductibility of heat.
2. More complete dehydrogenation.
3. Impossibility of acting in a cold state, either in the presence of hydrogen or 5
of any other gas.
4. Impossibility under normal conditions of the inflammation of the decomposed
bodies.
These properties are the exact opposite of those of the sponge of either platinum
or palladium which is ordinarily employed in the different devices used for heat- 1
ing a platinum wire and igniting in a cold state the gas issuing from burners for
lighting purposes.
The application of such devices adapted for the combustion of alcohol may be
attended with danger if such application is capable, as is the case with alcohol
at 100°, of effecting the spontaneous ignition of the liquid and of causing a fire, 1
according to the spot at which the burner is situated.
On the other hand, active chemical plates, brought into the presence of highly
hydrated alcohol at 70° for example, effect the combustion regularly with a libera-
tion of steam, whilst with metal this result cannot be obtained owing to the rapid
cooling occasioned by the condensation of this steam upon the metallic surface. 2
Only alcohol having at least 960, which is high in price, can be utilised.
With the chemical product, all commercial alcohols for burning may be
employed. In addition, this novel product, gives, in combination with alcohol,
aldehydes and very little acid, which is the reverse of what takes place with the
application of platinum, which gives a considerable quantity of acid and but a
small quantity of aldehydes.
2
In order to obtain this novel chemical product, it is necessary in principle to
treat asbestos with acid solutions, in order to provoke swelling without occasioning.
disaggregation and thus obtain the maximum of volume and of porosity. All
that is necessary in order to effect this is to treat the prepared pieces with, a dilute 3
solution of hydrochloric acid at 10% and subsequently bake them in a reverberatory
furnace.
"Second operation: prepare a solution containing :
Water
Chloride of platinum
Sulphate of magnesia
Pipe Clay
->
White Sugar
10,000 grammes
300 grammes
2
300 grammes
200 grammes
Cyanide of palladium
:
500 grammes
1 gramme
Mix thoroughly, decant and filter; immerse the plates of asbestos or any other. 4
porous refractory body allow them to absorb until the point of, saturation..and
dry and, bake in a reverberatory furnace. The plates thus formed, are arranged so
as to form the antiseptic burner. In this burner, a chemical plate is, mounted
upon a frame or part having several branches, which is intended to receive a, cotton
wick of any description, which conducts the alcohol from a receptacle in which it. 4
is immersed. This wick bears at the top beneath the imetallic disc of the frame.
The object of this disc is
1. To prevent the active plate from, becoming wetted in contact with. the moist.
wick.
2. To transmit and utilise the heat of the chemical plate in order to produce the 50
evaporation of the alcohol in a sufficiently large quantity to maintain. incan-
descence.
The active chemical plate may be fixed upon the metallic disc of the frame by.
means of a metal eyelet which ensures its remaining fixed; the uprights of the
frame are supported by the washer.
The wick thus described, provided with, the active product, forms the prin-
5.

page_text: cipal portion of the antiseptic burner; it passes through a ring which is itself
placed upon an alcohol reservoir of any suitable description.
Dated this 18th day of December 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Chemical Product for Antiseptic. Purposes, and Burner.
or-Device for. Utilising the same.
I, ANDRÉ GUASCO, of 21, Rue de Bellefonds, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:
The characteristic property of platinum and of metals of the same source, which
is termed the "catalytic" property, consists in absorbing gases, in condensing
them in their pores in the same manner as a mechanical compressor, thereby
giving rise to elevation of temperature and combustion of some of them.
This property which is purely mechanical as far as the metal is concerned, is
the cause of chemical reactions, a certain number of which are of the greatest
interest, amongst others those which relate to the decomposition of alcohols and
to the production of aldehydes, which are capable of practical utilisation for the
benefit of the public health owing to the property which they possess of effecting
the, disinfection of all contaminated places, and of rendering various, objects,
vessels or receptacles, such as beer-barrels, and so forth, aseptic.
Platinum is a costly metal; it is the more costly in that its density is so great,
it being the heaviest metal.
After attempts to utilise its remarkable property in various combinations
extending over-a long period of time, I have succeeded in forming a composition
with which the catalytic properties of the metal may be. developed in proportions
hitherto unknown.
In this body it may be said that each metallic molecule fulfils. not only its
whole function, but that the maximum of dehydrogenising power is obtained
in, such a manner that where one gramme of platinum, for example, was hitherto
required in order to consume ten grammes of alcohol, the same result may be
obtained with four milligrammes.
It will be readily seen according to the ratio of 1 to 250, what great results
may be obtained from this product, the condensing property of which is .con-
siderably increased, to say nothing of the other advantages which enable the
establishment of industrial appliances of improved operation as compared with
those constructed with platinum.
In addition to the increase of chemical dehydrogenising power, it must be borne
in mind that this novel compound, formed principally of asbestos and of metal
under special conditions hereinafter defined, comes under the category of refractory
bodies, the calorific properties of which are diametrically opposed to those of
the metals.
The consequences of this refractory condition are multiple; thus in the case
with which we are more particularly concerned, that of the combustion of alcohol,
the active substance having been raised to a red heat is readily maintained. at this
temperature, not only because of the greater energy of the chemical combination,
but also because it conserves the heat, in contradistinction. to metal which dis-
penses it with the greatest facility.

page_text: This novel product is essentially distinguished from the black mass, whether of
platinum or of palladium, by the following properties;
(1) Small conductibility of heat.
(2) More complete dehydrogenisation.
(3) Impossibility of acting in a cold condition either in the presence of hydrogen
or of any other gas.
(4) Practical impossibility of the ignition of decomposed bodies.
These properties are therefore entirely opposed to those of the sponge of either
platinum or of palladium, which is ordinarily employed in the various devices
utilised for treating a platinum wire and igniting whilst cold the gas issuing from
illuminating burners.
The application of these devices adapted to the combustion of alcohol may
prove dangerous, if it is capable, as is the case with alcohol at 100° of the Gay-
Lussac centesimal alcoholmeter of causing the spontaneous ignition of the liquid
and thus occasioning a fire.
On the other hand, the active chemical plates, in the presence of highly
hydrated alcohol at 70° Gay-Lussac alcoholmeter, for example, effect the com-
bustion uniformly with liberation of steam, whilst with metal this result cannot
be obtained owing to the rapid cooling caused by the condensation of this vapour
upon the metallic surface. Alcohol at at least 90° Gay-Lussac alcoholmeter and
of high price, can alone be utilised.
With the chemical product, all commercial alcohols for burning may be
employed. In addition to this, this new product, in burning alcohol, yields alde-
hydes and but little acid, which is the opposite of what takes place when platinum
is applied in this connection, as this latter gives a large quantity of acid and but:
a small quantity of aldehydes.
In order to obtain this novel chemical compound asbestos should, in principle
be treated with acid solutions, so as to cause swelling without disaggregation and
thus obtain the maximum of volume and of porosity. In order to attain this it
is only necessary to treat the prepared pieces with a dilute solution of hydrochloric
acid at 10% and to then bake them in a reverberatory furnace.
Second operation; prepare a solution containing
Water
Chloride of platinum
Sulphate of magnesia
Pipe Clay
-
White Sugar
Cyanide of palladium ·
-
10,000 grammes
300 grammes
300 grammes
200 grammes
500 grammes
1 gramme
Mix well, decant and filter; immerse the plates of asbestos or other refractory
porous substance and leave until the point of saturation is reached, then dry and
bake in a reverberatory furnace. The plates thus obtained are arranged so as to
form the antiseptic burner, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
in which:
A is a chemical plate mounted upon a support B having several branches,
which support is intended to receive a wick of cotton of any kind which conducts
the alcohol from a vessel in which it is immersed. This wick terminates below
the metallic disc of the support.
The object of this disc is:
(1) To prevent the active plate from being moistened by contact with the
damp wick.
(2) To transmit and utilise the heat of the chemical plate for producing evapora-
tion of the alcohol in sufficient quantity to maintain incandescence.
The active chemical plate may be fixed upon the metallic disc of the support by
means of a metallic eye which ensures its position remaining fixed and invariable;
the uprights of the support are held by the washer C.
The wick as above described, furnished with the active product, constitutes the

page_text: principal portion of the antiseptic burner; it passes through the ring C¹ which
is placed upon a reservoir of any kind containing alcohol.
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:.
:―
1. The special application of the chemical composition above described, by
means of a burner of any desired shape and dimensions, for the production, by
the combustion of alcohols, of the corresponding aldehydes, and consequently for
the constitution of an antiseptic burner capable of being readily and commonly
used for the purposes of disinfection.
2. The application of the antiseptic burner thus constituted, as above described
and claimed, for the elimination of bad odours of all kinds.
3. The application of the said antiseptic burner for the destruction of all seeds
of bacteria, of all morbid germs of contageous diseases, for rendering various
objects, vessels or receptacles, such as beer barrels and so forth, aseptic, by the
application of aldehydes in general and more especially of the formic aldehyde
obtained by the combustion of wood essence or methylic alcohol.
Dated this 16th day of September 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.