328  Bismuth  Subgallate.  { Am  ju°iy^S»?rm 
"  Dans  le  procede  descrit,  l'acide  gallique  peut  etre  remplace  par 
n'importe  lequel  de  ses  sels  neutres  solubles  dans  eau." 
About  two  and  one-half  months  after  the  appearance  of  the  above 
patent,  application  was  made  in  this  country  for  a  patent  on  the 
same  article.  This,  however,  was  only  granted  after  a  number  of 
demurs.  From  the  reading  of  the  two  patents  it  would  seem  that 
the  American  is  a  translated  copy  of  the  French  brevet. 
The  United  States  patent,1  granted  to  A.  Liebrecht,  two  years 
after  filing,  reads  as  follows  : 
"  Basic  gallate  of  bismuth,  a  compound  not  known  before.  Forty- 
eight  parts  by  weight  of  neutral  nitrate  of  bismuth  are  dissolved  in 
diluted  nitric  acid  and  thereto  is  added  a  solution  of  nineteen  parts 
by  weight  of  gallic  acid  in  forty  parts  by  weight  of  alcohol  and 
twenty  parts  by  weight  of  water.  To  the  mixture  is  added  caustic 
alkali,  alkali  carbonate,  or  the  like,  until  the  whole  remains  but 
slightly  acid.  On  the  addition  of  acetate  of  soda,  and  even  on 
diluting  with  water,  precipitation  takes  place.  The  precipitate  thus 
obtained  is  basic  gallate  of  bismuth  having  the  formula : 
Bi/(OH)2 
Of  bismuth,  which  according  to  theory  should  amount  to  50*4  per 
cent.,  49  4  per  cent,  are  found  in  the  product,  which  is  in  the  form 
of  a  yellow  powder  insoluble  in  water  and  dilute  acids.  For  the 
gallic  acid  in  the  above  example  may  be  substituted  any  of  its 
neutral  salts,  which  are  soluble  in  water." 
According  to  the  patent,  the  exclusive  right  is  given  the  patentee 
to  the  chemical  name,  even  to  the  very  percentage  composition.  In 
no  other  progressive  country  is  such  a  thing  possible. 
From  a  reading  of  the  above  patents  one  is  forced  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  United  States  document  is  translated  and  copied 
almost  verbatim,  literatim,  et  punctatim.  According  to  our  patent 
laws  a  patent  can  be  secured  on  anything  new  and  useful,  provided 
the  same  has  not  been  patented  or  used  for  a  period  of  more  than 
two  years  prior  to  the  date  of  application  in  this  country.  The 
copying  of  the  French  patent  and  securing  a  grant  therefor  in  this 
country  is,  therefore,  not  illegal,  but  is,  nevertheless,  a  questionable 
act. 
1  U.  S.  Patent  No.  495,497,  Apr.  18,  1S93,  filed  June  25,  1891. 
