> . . .
> When I started, the recommended preservative for gum was mercuric chloride.
> As I avoid things that make you dead quickly I only mix enough gum for a
I use thymol in place of mercuric chloride. However, if you mix your own
gum solution you also need to keep it heated for a period of time to
destroy any enzymes that are found naturally in gum. However, too
much heat will degrade the gum itself. I typically heat to 140 F for
about 1/2 hour to deactivate the enzymes.
Art Chakalis
Columbus, Ohio, USA