RE: Glyoxal?

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006, Loris Medici wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I presume "took it outside" suggestion is when you harden in trays. I
> assume it would be safe to use formalin indoors when using a very small
> amnt. - such as brush sizing. (Think of 100ml %3 gelatin solution +
> 1.5ml formalin) Am I correct here?
>
> TIA,
> Loris.
> Where do you get formalin, Chris? In NYC you need a doctor's
> prescription, or maybe a mortician in the family. I can get the former,
>
> if not the latter, but don't because I find it so painful to use indoors
> &
> don't like outdoors in winter. Plus, as I've said probably too many
> times, glyoxal cleared better (for me, anyway).

The good thing about formalin, Loris, at least in my experience, is that
it's so painful to use indoors that the strong odor and fumes will make
you go outdoors (or into a fume hood) before actual "danger" to soft
tissue. That is, I've (foolishly) used it indoors to the point of
torture, but other than extreme eye, nose & throat misery, as soon as it
was over, it was over -- no lingering effects.

However, allergy, such as Gord describes is a more serious matter -- tho
there's formaldehyde in, as he says, many normal materials including
plywood & fabric... even used in bed linens, or used to be ! It has
occurred to me that some of the folks with total sensitivity, who
practically have to live on a respirator, may have been sensitized by
these materials.

However, although I am, or was, at least as reactive to turpentine as Gord
is to formaldehyde, I had no lasting effects from formaldehyde (or none I
detected) -- and maybe Gord could use turpentine (tho I doubt he'd be
foolhardy enough to try). Which is to say NONE of them are harmless and
should all be treated with the greatest caution you can muster, but
everyone is different (even identical twins I read in the NY Times).

Judy
Received on Mon Jan 16 20:03:13 2006