LEAD ACETATE ! ! ? ?

Trevor and Folks,
                         Maybe this is getting a bit over cautious.
 I recall quite vividly at age twelve being in a class of kids when the science master lifted a jar of, what looked like sugar, from his desk and held it up for us all to see. He said in a loud voice, ''Sugar of Lead. Yes, it looks like sugar, doesnt it? One grain of this could kill a man. The whole jar could kill an army.''
        I felt that this statement was a bit of an exaggeration. And then, only today in fact, I read in my trusty Woodbury.....''Lead Acetate ( Sugar of Lead) ...with an odour resembling vinegar, and rather a sweetish taste.''

Now, fifty eight years later I am wondering whether our loud science master was just trying to scare the pants off us. Or what ?
Please stick to coffee and tea..... I think your w/s is great.

John Grocott - Photographist - London
SKYPE(video) name CARBONS999
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: trevor cunningham
  To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
  Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:45 AM
  Subject: Toning the Cyantoype

  Wicked cool...found a bunch of toning recipes and tools to get me started: tannic acid from tea bags (are earl grey, ceylon, or green tea variations important to note?), instant coffee, and lead acetate...I have all three of these and access to loads of household bleach...does the lead acetate tone require bleaching? my stack of cyanotypes awaits...

  Enjoy...Trevor Cunningham
Received on Thu Apr 20 16:37:28 2006