Process of production of a synthetic thyroprotein

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC THYROPROTEIN WHICH INCLUDES FORMING AN ALKALINE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF TYROSINE CONTAINING PROTEIN HAVING A PH BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 8 AND 9 AND AN AMOUNT OF PROTEIN BETWEEN 50 AND 75 GRAMS PER LITER OF SOLUTION, INCORPORATING A MANGANESE OXIDE CATALYST INTO SAID SOLUTION IN AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO 1/16 TO 1/4 POUND OF POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE PER 300 POUNDS OF SAID PROTEIN, ADDING IODINE TO SAID SOLUTION IN AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO 9 TO 12 GRAMS PER 60 GRAMS OF PROTEIN WHILE SAID SOLUTION IS AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 150 TO 175* F., SAID IODINE BEING ADDED OVER A PERIOD OF FROM 15 TO 30 MINUTES, CONTINUOUSLY AGITATING AND SPARGING THE SOLUTION WITH OXYGEN BEGINNING BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF SAID IODINE, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SOLUTION TO FROM 180 TO 190* F., AS SOON AS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE IODINE HAS BEEN ADDED AND CONTINUING SAID AGITATION AND SPARGING WITH OXYGEN AT THE LAST-NAMED TEMPERATURES UNTIL THE PRODUCT CONTAINS THE DESIRED TYROXINE CONTENT, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INCORPORATING ACTIVATED PAPAIN IN SAID ALKALINE AQUEOUS SOLUTION BEFORE INCORPORATING SAID CATALYST AND BEFORE SAID SPARGING AND RETAINING THE RESULTING SOLUTION AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 140 TO 160* F. FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT PARTIAL DIGESTION OF THE PROTEIN.