Specification of Joseph Jewell : preparation of calomel for medicinal use.

  • Jewell, Joseph.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Joseph Jewell : preparation of calomel for medicinal use. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Jewell's Method of Preparing Calomel, $c. executors, adihors, and assigns, for the term of fourteen years from the date of the said recited Letters Patent; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that if I, the said Joseph Jewell, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and 5 cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty’s High Court of Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and privileges thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, as by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large 10 . appear. HOW KHOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Jewell, in pursuance of the said proviso in the said Letters Patent contained, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per¬ formed, as follows :— 15 Calomel, or mercurius dulcis, as usually prepared is, at first, a hard crystal¬ line substance, and requires to be pounded and triturated with water, either in a morter or on a slab with a muller, or in a mill; after having been ground or triturated for a considerable time, more water is added, and the whole well stirred up. The finer particles, which remain suspended for a short time, 20 being poured off with the water into another vessel, and left to subside, the water is then decanted, and the fine powder dried for use. The coarser particles are again submitted to the operations of grinding and washing over, until the whole be finished. Now, the nature of my Invention is to produce the effect of the grinding or 25 trituration above described in a more perfect manner during the last sublima¬ tion of the calomel, which I do as follows:—I take calomel or mercurius dulcis broken into small pieces, and put into an ear them crucible of the form of a long barrel, so as to fill about one half thereof; I place the crucible on its side in a furnace provided with an opening, through which the mouth of the 30 crucible projects about an inch; I then join to the mouth of the crucible an earthenware receiver having an opening at its side to receive the open end of the crucible; this receiver is about half filled with water. I lute the joint with a mixture of sand and pipe clay. The receiver has a cover, which cover has a side continued upwards for containing water, with a chimney or tube in it to 35 allow the escape of steam from water below. I then apply a fire around the crucible, sufficient to raise the calomel in vapour, and force it through the mouth of the crucible into the receiver, where by the water while cold, or assisted by the steam, when it becomes hot, it is instantly condensed into an