FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62  
63   64   65   >>  
ot the cyanide of potash. I still continue to use that formula, and have not iodized paper with any other: though I have made some variations which may perhaps be of use. I found that the nitrate of potash is almost the same in its effects as the carbonate. I would as soon use the one as the other; but the state I conceive to be the most effective, is the diluted liquor potassae: that would be with iodine about the same state as the iodide of potash, but hitherto I have not tried it, though mean to do so. I am not quite certain as to whether, theoretically, this position is right; but I find in iodide of potash, and in the above formula, that the iodine is absorbed in greater quantities by the silver, than the alkaline potash by the nitric acid. Thus, by using a solution for some time, it will at last contain but very little iodine at all, and not enough for the purpose of the photographer; hence it requires renewing. And I have lately observed that paper is much more effective, in every way, if it is floated on free iodine twice before it is used in the camera, viz. once when it is made, and again when it is dry: the last time containing a little bromine water and glacial acetic acid. It appears to me that the paper will absorb its proper dose of iodine better when dry, and the glacial acetic acid will set free any small amount of alkaline potash there may be on the surface; so that it will not embrown on applying gallic acid. By using the ammonio-nitrate of silver in iodizing, and proceeding as above, I find it all I can wish as far as regards the power of my camera. With this paper I can use an aperture of half an inch diameter, and take anything in the shade and open air in five or six minutes, in the sun in less time. The yellow colour also comes off better in the hypo. sulph. I think MR. MAXWELL LYTE has made a mistake as to the price he quotes: about here I cannot get any iodide of potash under 2s. per ounce, and the five grains to the ounce added to the common dose of nitrate of silver is hardly worth speaking of; it would amount, in fact, to about fifteen grains in a quire of Whatman's paper,--no great hardship, because many use much higher doses of silver for iodizing; forty grains to the ounce is not uncommonly used, but I believe twenty-five grains quite enough. I presume, in SIR WM. NEWTON's mode of treating positives, the acid of the alum decomposes the alkali of the hypo. sulph. And it would be, I
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62  
63   64   65   >>  



Top keywords:
potash
 

iodine

 

silver

 

grains

 
iodide
 
nitrate
 

alkaline

 
acetic
 

glacial

 

camera


iodizing

 

amount

 
effective
 

formula

 
aperture
 
NEWTON
 

minutes

 

yellow

 
colour
 

diameter


Whatman

 

presume

 

fifteen

 
speaking
 

hardship

 
uncommonly
 

twenty

 

treating

 

higher

 

common


quotes

 

alkali

 
mistake
 

positives

 

decomposes

 

MAXWELL

 
theoretically
 
hitherto
 

position

 

nitric


solution

 

quantities

 

absorbed

 

greater

 
potassae
 

liquor

 
variations
 

iodized

 
continue
 

cyanide