GB169730A - Improvements in or relating to the epilation of skins - Google Patents

Abstract

169,730. Ross, H. C., and Walker & Sons, Ltd., W. March 25, 1920. Medicaments for external application.-A process for depilating hides and skins in which extrinsic bacteriological or saprophytic enzymes are inactivated whilst the action of thrombase (thrombin) which is stated to be found in the skins, especially at the roots of the hairs, is encouraged or activated, is stated to be useful in the treatment of diseases, but no claim is made in respect of this application of the invention. The extrinsic enzyme system, to which the term " saproprotease " is applied, is inactivated by the use of end products of proteoclastic enzyme action such as ammonia or compounds producing ammonia, amino acids, skatol, and indol. The intrinsic enzyme, thrombase, is activated by the addition of easily dissociated calcium salts or compounds such as the lactate or polysulphides thereof. The activator and inactivator are mixed together in the form of a solution, the inactivator preferably comprising a one per cent solution of ammonium hydrate. The action of the intrinsic enzyme may be assisted by the addition of trypsin or other proteolytic enzymes which will work in an alkaline medium. The Provisional Specification describes also the use, to assist the depilatorv action, of pepsase and in certain circumstances of the saprophytic extrinsic enzyme which is therein termed " saprophase."