HYGIENE IN PHOTOGRAPHY Photography does not now involve many risks to health, but it is necessary to remember that there are still a few chemicals used which injure the worker's hands if they come in contact with them, and of which the fumes become dangerous if inhaled. Should the dark-room be insuffi ciently ventilated the atmosphere will become stuffy and cause headaches ; and, of course, when strong-smelling chemicals are used—as ammonia, sodium sulphide, etc.—good ventilation is all the more important.
Many users of a red light find that it makes their eyes ache if employed for any length of time, and when this happens a weak solution of boracic acid should be made up (8 grs. to I oz. of water), and this should be mixed with an equal volume of hot water and applied to the eyes with a clean handkerchief or sponge.
When the daguerreotype process is worked by experimentalists, particular care should be taken not to inhale the fumes from the mercury, as they are most dangerous. The fumes from collo dion (ether, really) and ammonia involve but slight risk to the health, but they affect the eyes. Should ammonia be found to affect the worker, he should sniff weak acetic acid or ordinary brown vinegar, and he may sip a little of the latter with helpful results.
The fumes from all acids, particularly hydro fluoric, and from potassium cyanide are more troublesome ; when these substances are used, the dark-room must be well ventilated, other wise bad headaches will occur and the mem branes of the eyes, nose, and throat be affected. The best remedy for acid fumes is to sniff weak ammonia.
Some chemicals injure the skin and the clothes if they come in contact ; particularly is this the case with nitric acid, which burns severely. The remedy is to apply a strong solution of common washing soda or weak ammonia, 'or, in fact, any Mlrali. Potassium bichromate affects the skin
at times, and the subject will be found dealt with under " Bichromate Disease." Platinum solu tions are not often looked upon as dangerous, but when using them or large quantities of platinum paper some workers suffer from a skin disease and also nasal catarrh. A warm and weak solution of salt and water sniffed up the nose occasionally will, as a rule, cure the catarrh, while the same solution of salt and water will soothe and possibly quite cure the skin trouble. Hydroquinone, amidol, and metol developers (more particularly the last named) affect some workers, and when they do the treatment as prescribed under " Bichromate Disease " may be tried, or the following oint ment, which any chemist will make up, used :— Ichthyol . . . . i part Lanoline . . . 2 parts White vaseline . . 3 „Boric acid . . . . 20 „ All developers are apt to affect the skin more or less, and, after developing, the hands should always be well washed with warm water and a good soap of the carbolic variety. Developer stained fingernails may be cleaned by rubbing with ink eraser ; or in troublesome cases they may be rubbed with lemon juice or ammonium persulphate crystals. When using developers that stain, workers should wear rubber finger stalls or gloves. To keep the hands white and soft they should be rubbed with new milk pre vious to developing. Should an irritation be felt after using a mercury and ammonia intensifier, the remedy is to wash the hands with warm water, dab—not rub—dry with a soft towel, and rub in the following soothing mixture : Glycerine . . . 4 firms. 17 ccs.
Carbolic acid . . i „ 4 71 Alcohol . . 5 oz. I ,000 „