Specification of William Edward Newton : preserving and disinfecting organic substances.

  • William Edward Newton
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Edward Newton : preserving and disinfecting organic substances. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Newtons Improvements in Preserving and Disinfecting Organic Substances. The principle of this Invention consists in the employment of heavy hydro¬ carbons and oils extracted from mineral or vegetable pitch or tar, naphtha, bitumen, asphaltes, resins, balms, and other analogous carbonaceous matters. These hydrocarbons, in the proportion of 5 per cent., or even less, possess 5 the property of preventing organic matters, either of animal or vegetable origin, from putrifying. They also possess the property of preserving organic matters for any length of time, and by preventing fermentation in fresh sub¬ stances they will arrest decomposition when the articles operated upon had already undergone a change. Of course, if the proportion of hydrocarbons be 10 greater, the effect will be more powerful. The hydrocarbons which have the greatest preserving properties are those distilled under 150 degrees heat of the centigrade thermometer. The oils extracted at lower or higher temperatures owe a certain amount of their preserving power to their containing a greater or less proportion of hydro- 15 carbon, and the employment of these matters is included under the present Patent. The preservation of all organic matters, without interfering in any way with their various uses in the arts, manufactures, and agriculture, by the addition of the said hydrocarbons to such matters, or their immersion in those hydro- 20 carbons when brought to a liquid state, is therefore claimed under the present Patent. The Invention may be employed,— 1st, for blood, whether employed for the extraction of albumen, or for the preparation of prussiates and of Prussian blue. 25 2nd, for skins of animals, whether intended to be tanned, dressed, or manufactured into fur. 3rd, for the intestines of oxen, sheep, pigs, and horses, whether to be employed for the manufacture of catgut, goldbeaters’ skin, or for other purposes. 30 4th, for the refuse of slaughter-houses, and boiling and melting houses, poultry and game which is too high, and all animal matters from which grease is extracted for the manufacture of soap. In order to bleach fatty matters and remove any offensive odor, they are first boiled in fresh or salt water, and then filtered upon animal charcoal, at a convenient temperature 35 and pressure. 5th, the refuse of distilleries or manufactories from which alcohol is pro¬ duced, but the offensive smell from which causes these manufactories to be subjected to regulations which prevent the primary matters from being completely utilized, and which are, therefore, almost entirely lost.