>
> Some of the old wetplate collodion books nonchalantly recommend removing
> silver nitrate stains from hands using a solution of the *extremely
> lethal* potassium cyanide fixing agent. Warning Will Robinson!
> Warning!!! From pre-OSHA times I quote Ellis ("The Photographic
> Instructor",1856, p. 13): "The nitrate of Silver Solution will stain the
> hands quite black when exposed to the light, but the stains may be
> easily removed by rubbing the spots with Cyanide of Potassium while the
> hands are wet, and afterwards wash in pure water." I wonder how many
> wetplate photographers dropped dead from doing so? Definitely not
> recommended! A situation where I'd prefer to live with the stain. (sic)
Joe,
I was under the understanding (under the under?) that cyanide of potassium
back in "the day" was the old label given to potassium ferricyanide...
> A couple weeks ago after doing some wetplate I ended up with so much
> silver nitrate on my hands that they turned black and had a metallic
> shine to them. It wore off completely in about ten days...(snip)
Well then, I've got a few more days yet. Isn't it odd how "archival" silver
nitrate is on skin??
I've just completed scanning the last of 1200 of my slides for 11
Powerpoints. I just had to tell someone...what a pain in the ass.
Chris
Received on Sun Oct 23 21:09:37 2005
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