The 1886 patent revealed that Radam manufactured Microbe Killer by mixing powdered sulphur, sodium nitrate, manganese oxide, sandalwood, and potassium chloride then burning the mixture in an oven. The vapours mixed with the vapour from the water located in a closed tank in which the oven sat. After the treated water was allowed to condense and then was filtered to remove any sediment, a tiny amount of wine was added to give the Microbe Killer a light pink tint.
The Microbe Killer was so successful because it made its debut just as the link between microbes and disease was first being documented. As science would eventually demonstrate, the Microbe Killer was absolutely useless.