Now! Then! The sanitation committee of Bradford Council experience the use of iron(III) chloride and iron(II) sulphate as sewage deodorants

18 July 1848: The sanitation committee of Bradford Council experience the use of iron(III) chloride and iron(II) sulphate as sewage deodorants

Bradford Observer. 1848/07/27. Ellerman’s Patent Deodorising Fluid. Bradford. Get it:

Excerpt

A vessel containing a considerable portion of most fetid night-soil was brought into the town-clerk’s office, and, after the gentlemen present had had time to satisfy themselves by means of their olfactories, as well as by means of a chemical test paper, that this matter contained a large portion of sulphuretted hydrogen, a small quantity of Mr Ellerman’s liquid, copiously diluted with water, was poured into the vessel, and all parties were speedily and agreeably satisfied that the noxious smell had been completely overcome. The next substance operated upon was a quantity of putrid blood from a slaughterhouse, so highly decomposed as to swarm with loathsome insects. This also was perfectly deodorized by means of the solution of perchloride of iron, though it appeared to require a somewhat larger quantity than the nightsoil, being indeed infinitely more offensive in its effluvium. The third substance was a quantity of decaying vegetable and animal matter from the slaughterhouse middens, apparently composed principally of cabbage-leaves, dung, and offal; and this also was promptly rendered inodorous by the action of the fluid. The last substance operated upon was a quantity of mud and slime taken from that notorious receptacle of innumerable and indescribable impurities, the Bradford canal. Before commencing upon this matter, Mr Wynn stated that he would not venture to predict that the experiment would be fully successful, because he thought it possible that some of the chemical substances discharged into the canal might have a tendency to counteract the action of the perchloride of iron. On trial, however, it was found to succeed admirably; and the gentlemen present, many of whom applied their noses in close proximity to the various substances deodorized, admitted that the atmosphere in the several buckets was much purer than that which had been communicated to distant parts of the room from the substances, prior to deodorization, and which still in some degree existed there.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.
Abbreviations:

ER: East Riding
GM: Greater Manchester
NR: North Riding
NY: North Yorkshire
SY: South Yorkshire
WR: West Riding
WY: West Yorkshire

Comment

I take “Tuesday last” to mean nine rather than two days before the article. Details of the Leeds meeting would probably establish which is right, but I haven’t found them in the Mercury.

What was the result of the pitch? (The Bradford Canal was closed as a health hazard in 1867-71/2.)

The Mechanic’s Magazine says that that Edmond Dam of Brussels was the real inventor, but I haven’t checked.

My estimate that iron(III) chloride and iron(II) sulphate were the active ingredients is based on the following:

The salts of iron have been used for more than a hundred years as disinfectants of night soil and foul water, and they have, as already stated, been the subjects of numerous patents. The most important of these were the patents of E. Brown and C. F. Ellerman, both of which were granted in the year 1847… In … October … Mr. Ellerman obtained a patent for “certain processes or methods of rendering feculent, excremental, and other matters inodorous, and of disinfecting, and also of retarding, the putrefaction of animal and vegetable substances.” The chemical preparations which he used were the crude chlorides, and pyrolignates or acetates of iron… We examined his liquid shortly after the date of the patent, and found that it was a strong solution of perchloride and pyrolignate of iron, having a specific gravity from 1336 to 1443, and containing from 24 to 43 per cent. of these ferruginous salts. The retail price of the preparation was eighteenpence a quart, but Mr. Ellerman offered to sell it wholesale for ninepence a gallon. Directly after the patent was obtained, the deodorising effects of the liquid were tried by Dr. Sutherland and the late Dr. Duncan, of Liverpool, and in the following year (1848) its action was still further investigated by the late Dr. Ure and Mr. Scanlan, all of whom reported most favourably of its disinfecting power, when compared with the well-known deodorising solutions of Sir William Burnett, Labarraque, and Ledoyen. Our own experiments, however, at that time did not furnish equally satisfactory results; for we found that 100 grains of Sir Wm. Burnett’s solution of chloride of zinc, of specific gravity 1594, were quite as effective in deodorising sewage as 470 grains of Ellerman’s solution, of a gravity of 1443. Mr. Haywood, also, the engineer of the City Commissioners of Sewers, inquired into the subject, and reported that when Ellerman’s solution was used in the proportion of three gallons to a cubic yard of night-soil, it was not so perfect in its deodorising power as five pints of a solution of chloride of zinc. In the same year (1848) Mr. Hodgson reported to the Metropolitan Sewers Commission, that when the solutions were used in sufficient quantity to remove the sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia from a cubic yard of night-soil, it required eleven and a half quarts of Ellerman’s liquid to do the work of one quart of Sir Wm. Burnett’s. (Anon 1870/12/14)

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Original

By direction of his Worship the Mayor and several leading members of the Sanatory Committee of the Bradford Town Council, Mr. Rawson, the Town Clerk, convened a meeting at the Borough Police-office, on Tuesday last, to witness experiments in deodorising cesspool and other fetid matters by means of a preparation, for which C. F. Ellerman, Esq., of London, last year obtained a patent, and which has since attracted a considerable share of scientific and public attention. A large number of the principal inhabitants of the town were present, among whom we noticed the Rev. Dr. Burnet, vicar; the Revds. J. L. Frost, Edmonds, Dr. Quigley, W. Scott, J. Jones, W. Williams, — Wilson, and other clergymen; John Rand, Esq. J.P.; Drs. Macturk and Taylor, physicians; Aldermen Forbes, Beaumont, Brown, and Rogers; Messrs. Douglas, Caton, Hornell, Casson, Roberts, Steel, Greenwood, Crozier, Taylor, &c., surgeons; a number of the principal chemists of the town; and a large portion of the members of the Town Council.

Mr. Alderman Beaumont, as Chairman of the Sanatory Committee, commenced the proceedings by addressing the meeting in explanation of the objects with which it had been assembled. Feeling that all had a common interest in the great object of sanatory improvement which had called them together, the Committee had deemed it their duty to extend their invitations, not only to the members of the Town Council generally, but to the clergy, medical practitioners, chemists, and all, in short, who might be said to be particularly interested; and he was glad to perceive that they were favoured with the presence of their worthy vicar and so many clergymen of all denominations, as well as so large an assemblage of his own professional brethren, who might naturally be supposed to take a very deep and lively interest in opportunities like the present. After enlarging with considerable ability and earnestness upon the importance of such discoveries as that they were called upon to witness an experiment with, both in its influence upon the sanatory welfare, the personal comfort, the moral and physical prosperity, and the agricultural interests of the community, the worthy alderman stated that he would not occupy the time of the meeting by entering into details upon the subject of disinfecting fluids, as that would be more fully done by the gentleman who would follow him. He then concluded by introducing to their notice

Mr. Wynn, who stated that he feared the observations of the gentleman who had done him the honour to introduce him, had led them to expect he was about to deliver a lecture. He could assure them he was no lecturer, and that they need not apprehend he would attempt to inflict a lecture upon them. The previous speaker had said all that was necessary upon the vast importance of sanatory improvements; and he (Mr. Wynn) was satisfied, from the attendance of the gentlemen present on this occasion, that they were fully alive to the subject. He would therefore proceed at once to the point, more especially as he had pledged himself to several gentlemen present that the proceedings should not long detain them from their individual avocations. Before, however, he proceeded, he wished to impress upon his auditors that Mr. Ellerman and those concerned in his patent did not seek to convey to the public that their “disinfecting” fluid, so termed, would, any more than other preparations recommended for the same purposes, absolutely prevent infection uuder any circumstances. This would would be leading the public into error, and proving themselves little better than quacks and impostors. Mr. Ellerman and his colleagues were duly sensible that there are subtle gases, having no perceptible effluvium, which occasion disease; and they only professed to subdue odorous gases, – to deprive these of their fetor. Inasmuch, however, as mere fetor itself formed a prolific source of disease, by exciting sickness, nausea, vomiting, and other morbid affections, whereby the system is lowered, and a predisposition to contract disease occasioned, he thought that a very general source of injury to health was removed by deodorization, and that to this extent at least, “deodorants” might fairly be termed “disinfectants.” They were calculated to contribute very essentially to health too, in another respect – at least the particular deodorant he was about to submit to their notice was so calculated, by furnishing the means of largely increasing that great indispensible to health, an abundant supply of food. One of the peculiar and valuable properties of Mr. Ellerman’s Fluid was that it greatly enhanced the value of the manuring substances to which it was applied, by fixing the ammonia and other volatile essences of fertility which otherwise are constantly and rapidly wasting from them. Irrespective too of sanitary and agricultural considerations, it was of no small benefit and importance as a mere contributor to personal comfort, as a remover of that great source of discomfort and nuisance – offensive smells. He then stated that his hearers were probably aware that four preparations were offered for use as disinfecting or deodorising fluids, viz: Chloride of Lime, Chloride of Zinc (Sir Wm. Burnett’s fluid), and Nitrate of Lead (the specific of M. Ledoyen). With Chloride of Lime they were perhaps all acquainted from experience, as it had long been known and used. Mr. Ellerman claimed to have provided a very superior preparation to this, for three reasons: lst. Because chloride of lime has a very disagreeable odour of its own, which many parties deem more unpleasant than that it is used to overcome, whilst Mr. Ellerman’s liquid has a scarcely perceptible odour, which is rather agreeable than otherwise. 2nd. Because chloride of lime has the effect of liberating the ammonia from manures, whilst Mr. Ellerman’s preserves it. And 3rd. Because chloride of lime (as instanced in that prepared by Messrs. Beaufoy in a similar form to Mr. Ellerman’s) is very much more costly. Sir Wm. Burnett’s solution of chloride of zinc, and Mr. Ledoyan’s nitrate of lead, he admitted to be free from the disadvantages of liberating the ammonia from manures, or possessing any disagreeable odour; but these metallic salts were pronounced incapable of competing with Mr. Ellerman’s, on account of their inferior power and greater cost. Reference was made to the relative costs of lead, zinc, and iron pyrites, and muriatic and nitric acids, in illustration of the necessarily superior cheapness of Mr. Ellerman’s deodorant; and the table of atomic weights was referred to in evidence of the superior power of iron in its action upon sulphuretted hydrogen, 28lbs. of this metal accomplishing the work of 32½lbs. of zinc, or 103½lbs. of lead. It was further stated, in support of the superiority of Mr. Ellerman’s solution of chloride of iron, tbat whereas the salts of lead and zinc are poisonous, iron possesses no dangerous properties, but, on the contrary, is the only metal friendly to man, in whese blood it is found, as well as in wheat and various other plants on which he feeds, and in the most improved animal manures by which these plants are nourished. Mr. Wynn remarked that about nine-pennyworth of the fluid he was about to exhibit (which was a perchloride of iron), were found sufficient to deodorise a ton of ordinary cesspool matter; thus rendering available, to the purposes of agriculture, a commodity which Liebig and the greatest agricultural chemists of the day emphatically pronounced to be richer in all the elements of fertility than the finest guanos or most approved artificial composts, and which was present in infinite abundance among us, scarcely used, and under no circumstances duly prized, because without deodorization its extremely offensive and unportable nature rendered agriculturists averse to it.

At the close of Mr. Wynn’s remarks, the experiments commenced. In the first instance a vessel containing a considerable portion of most fetid night-soil was brought into the room (the town-clerk’s office), and, after the gentlemen present had had time to satisfy themselves by means of their olfactories, as well as by means of a chemical test paper, that this matter contained a large portion of sulphuretted hydrogen, a small quantity of Mr. Ellerman’s liquid, copiously diluted with water, was poured into the vessel, and all parties were speedily and agreeably satisfied that the noxious smell had been completely overcome. The next substance operated upon was a quantity of putrid blood from a slaughter-house, so highly decomposed as to swarm with loathsome insects. This also was perfectly deodorized by means of the solution of perchloride of iron, though it appeared to require a somewhat larger quantity than the night-soil, being indeed infinitely more offensive in its effluvium. The third substance was a quantity of decaying vegetable and animal matter from the slaughter-house middens, apparently composed principally of cabbage-leaves, dung, and offal; and this also was promptly rendered inodorous by the action of the fluid. The last substance operated upon was a quantity of mud and slime taken from that notorious receptacle of innumerable and indescribable impurities, the Bradford canal. Before commencing upon this matter, Mr. Wynn stated that he would not venture to predict that the experiment would be fully successful, because he thought it possible that some of the chemical substances discharged into the canal might have a tendency to counteract the action of the perchloride of iron. On trial, however, it was found to succeed admirably; and the gentlemen present, many of whom applied their noses in close proximity to the various substances deodorized, admitted that the atmosphere in the several buckets was much purer than that which had been communicated to distant parts of the room from the substances, prior to deodorization, and which still in some degree existed there.

At the termination of these demonstrations, Mr. Wynn called the attention of the meeting to the value of Mr. Ellerman’s preparation in removing domestic nuisances, by purifying house drains and middens, offensive water-closets, vessels appropriated to excrementitious matter in sick chambers, &c, &c.; and he begged emphatically to call attention to the sanatory and pecuniary profit of diverting from the canal the foul matters at present allowed to pollute it by being discharged therein. If a private company, he said, were formed in Bradford to collect the exuviae of the inhabitauts, and other fertilizing refuse, which might be formed by means of Mr. Ellerman’s patent into en inodorous and portable manure, far superior in richness to the guanos and other composts daily sold at an enormous price per ton, and which would cost such a company nothing but the labour expended in collecting and preparing it, a vast sanatory benefit would be conferred upon the town, and a great boon upon the agriculturists of the country around, whilst the company itself would reap most lucrative profits, at very moderate charges, for the commodity. An extensive company of this kind was working the patent in France. It was in operation in upwards of thirty towns in that kingdom, taking all the refuse of these towns; and the quality of the manure prepared by this company was such that it had obtained numerous gold and other medals offered by the French Minister of Agriculture for the best manures, in opposition to the finest guanos and most approved artificial composts. It excelled, in fact, all other manures in quality.

The Rev. Dr. Burnet observed tbat it occurred to him, Mr. Ellerman’s preparation might be very advantageously applied to water-closets and urinals by being constantly mingled, under a well regulated system, with the water in the cisterns attached to these places; and Mr. Wynn informed the rev. gentleman that he could find this system suggested in a printed pamphlet Mr. Ellerman had addressed to Lord Morpeth.

Alderman Beaumont stated that a professional gentleman present had requested him to enquire Mr. Wynn’s sentiments upon an important question, viz., whether it might not be justly contended that by removing the effluvia of noxious exhalations without destroying the dangerous subtle gases which are inodorous, we destroy what would otherwise operate as a salutary warning to us to remove pernicious substances, which without such warning might remain unheeded, to the serious detriment of health.

Mr. Wynn replied tbat the question was certainly a sensible and pertinent one: but he thought he could answer it satisfactorily. It appeared to him that it only required to be generally understood (as he had stated in his opening remarks) tbat deodorisation did not afford all the precautions necessary against infection, but that, on the contrary, dangerous gases were evolved from foul matters, which were inodorous, to induce people to avoid being lulled into the false security apprehended. It further appeared to him that we were likely to have cesspools, and other receptacles of filth, emptied more frequently than at present under the use of deodorants; because a serious objection to emptying such places under the present system would be removed. At present people had their cesspools emptied as seldom as possible, and only when absolute overflowing compelled them, because the operation of emptying them excited a greater nuisance than the matter undisturbed: whereas by the use of deodorants they might be frequently emptied without the slightest nuisance. Moreover,the value of the stuff as a manure, and its portability, being so greatly improved by the deodorant, agriculturists and manure dealers would be importunate for the contents of cesspools and similar repositories, and constantly remind and urge people to empty tbem. It appeared to him, too, that if the’ inodorous gases were injurious, the odorous ones could scarcely be said to act as a warning of the presence of the former; and this was indisputable in cases where no odorous gases are present in matter nevertheless evolving dangerous inodorous ones.

Several minor questions were subsequently addressed to Mr. Wynn and satisfactorily answered.

The Rev. Dr. Burnet then said that he felt the meeting could not with propriety separate without testifying its sense of the very decisive and interesting experiments they had witnessed, and the very lucid and pleasing manner in which all they had seen had been explained to them. He therefore proposed that the thanks of the meeting he tendered to Mr. Wynn, and to the gentlemen of the Sanatory Committee, for having assembled them to meet him.

The Rev. W. Williams begged cordially to second the motion, which was passed by acclamation; and Alderman Beaumont (on behalf of the Sanatory Committee), and Mr. Wynn, having suitably acknowledged the compliment, the meeting separated.

A similar experiment was made at Leeds, last week, in the presence of the Nuisance Committee and a number of the principal professional gentlemen and inhabitants, which gave great satisfaction to all who witnessed it.

2476 words.