Improvements in Insecticides.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
Improvements in Insecticides.
A communication from FRIEDRICH HAASE, of Scheffelstrasse, Dresden, Saxony,
in the Empire of Germany, Gentleman.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 means adopted at the present time for destroying or extirpating house-flies
and other insects consists either in mechanical catching-devices or in toxical
preparations, the former having but little effect and popularity whereas the latter,
as far as the principal means, namely the employment of fly-powder or arsenic are
concerned, can become injurious to all other creatures of superior organisation and
the use of which is therefore prohibited by the law. Another very effectual means
which is harmless in the case of warm-blooded animals is the wood of the exotic
quassia-tree; its value, however, for the above purpose is considerably lessened by
the circumstance that the pungent and volatile oily elements and the bitter matter
of this wood is obnoxious to insects so that no remarkable success has been attained
by its use.
The subject of the present invention is a process consisting in concealing the
obnoxious properties of the quassia-wood by mixing suitable substances for the
purpose of not only alluring the insects from far off, but also of making the bait
tasty and tempting.
In carrying out this idea and in the experiments which have consequently been
made with products which are prepared from certain substances in different
proportions and also from several matters it has been proved that the admixtures
and proportions described hereinafter have a particularly deleterious effect upon
insects.
In order to improve the taste common sugar is added to the extremely finely
powdered quassia-wood in the proportion of preferably about two parts of powdered
wood to one part of pulverized sugar. The intimately mixed powder is then
triturated with a slight addition of some suitable substance which will allure or
tempt the insects from far off and at the same time conceal the matter contained in
the quassia-wood which repels them, such a substance being for example, an
addition of valerianic acid or butyric acid amyl-oxide which need not exceed 0.1 %
of the whole mixture.
The substance thus prepared and ready for use can be ground or rubbed with a
solution of gum-tragacanth into a plastic mass out of which tablets, pastilles, etc.
may be pressed.
When they are to be used the tablets are simply moistened and placed in a
suitable spot, or a piece of a tablet may be dissolved on a plate the bottom of which
is covered with water and it is then ready for use.
A preparation is thus obtained which in addition to being convenient to use and
manipulate and non-poisonous can be preserved for years without losing any of its
valuable properties the essential novel feature of which consists in successfully
overcoming a difficulty which has not been surmounted hitherto namely in removing
from the quassia-wood that which is obnoxious to insects.
Instead of quassia-wood the well-known Persian insect powder may be used. In
order to improve the taste other ethylic ethers besides valerianic acid or butyric
acid may be used, further suitable ethers and acids may be used, on the one hand
and propylic alcohol, diopropylic alcohol, butylic alcohol and diabutylic-alcohol on

page_text: the other hand, or fruit-aromas, for example, artificial or natural essences of straw-
berry, apple, pear, peach, pineapple, wood-ruff, ether etc., or essences of oenanthic
ether (wine) brandy rum, arrac, etc., and lastly civet and asafoetida may be
employed for the same purpose. Instead of pulverized quassia-wood extract of
quassia-wood can be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of a medium for killing flies and other insects non-poisonous
to creatures of higher organization made of quassia-wood or insect-powder and
sugar to which an aromatic substance such as described is added for the purpose of
alluring the insects and at the same time concealing from them the smell and taste
of the deleterious matter which is obnoxious to them.
2. The insect-destroying substance substantially as described.
3. The employment of the substance described for the purpose of destroying or
extirpating insects flies and other creatures belonging to the lower grade of
organization.
Dated this 25th day of May 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.