Alfred Nobel

“ The nature of the invention consists in forming out of two ingredients long known, viz, the explosive substance nitro-glycerine, and an inexplosive porous substance, hereafter specified, a composition which, without losing the great explosive power of nitro-glycerine, is very much altered as to its explosive and other properties, being far more safe and convenient for transportation, storage, and use, than nitro-glycerine. ”

“ So great is the absorbent capacity of this earth, that it will take up about three time its own weight of nitro-glycerine and still retain its powder-form, thus leaving the nitro-glycerine so compact and concentrated as to have very nearly its original explosive power ”

“ In general terms, my invention consists inmixing with nitro-glycerine a substance which possesses a very great absorbent capacity, and which, at the same time, is free from any quality which decompose, destroy or injure the nitro-glycerine or its explosiveness. ”