Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/11/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Steve, My darkroom exposure, like yours, was more than 40 years ago, and was not extensive. I never considered the toxicity of the chemical exposure, thinking there was not much of a problem unless they were ingested. My late father-in-law made his living from a small studio for a number of years. He hated gloves, so his nails were often discolored, but he was not aware of other symptoms. He was active until he suffered a stroke at 90, and died at 91. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Barbour" <steve.barbour at gmail.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:03 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Why the mad rush / toxicity > hi Mark and thanks, > > I am reading some of the current information and warnings...Back when I > worked in a photo darkroom in a very amateurish way, 40 years ago, there > was no particular concern, no warnings, I took no special precautions, > 'cus the general feeling was that risk was low and seemingly > non-existent... > > at that time, the idea that the chemicals either by contact or by > inhalation were inherently toxic, never dawned, was not at issue, even > though I was a professor at that time on a medical school faculty, and > trained in depth in biochemistry, molecular biology, microbial > genetics... > > I have survived the intervening time without any obvious damage, but my > exposures were surely minimal compared to many. > > One has to think of the possible analogy with the story of Marie and > Pierre Curie who won Nobel prizes for their work with radioactive > compounds, but who had no idea of the associated serious risks, and > suffered from these...at least severe burns, and Marie's death from > aplastic anemia. (Pierre died prematurely from a fractured skull after a > street acident). > > So all this talk about toxicity and precautions is an eye opener for me, > and the concerns are admittedly tainted by the self serving overreaction > of regulatory agencies, as usual "a day late and a dollar short"... > > > Steve > > > > On Nov 5, 2009, at 2:58 AM, Mark Rabiner wrote: > >>> >>> On Nov 4, 2009, at 7:16 PM, Richard Man wrote: >>> >>>> What are you? A doctor?!!! >>> >>> >>> yes, but..... >>> >>> I am reading all this stuff... >>> >>> >>> http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/safety.htm >>> >> >> >> " Use tubes instead of trays for all processing. " >> Wildly delusional and totally out of the loupe would be thus my opinion >> on >> the subclub. >> Fiber doesn't work with tubes and if they did you'd still not want to >> use >> them. >> Use rubber gloves with trays and you'll do fine making an effort to not >> smell the powders. If you know what it smells like its already entered >> your >> body. (Dektol vs. Hypo) Make sure you don't know. Know by reading not >> smelling. >> >> Most people who have had darkroom problems come from a generation (The >> 60's >> and before) where they used their hands not tongs and nobody cared about >> stuff like not breathing powders. Arthritis was what a lot of these guys >> seemed to have gotten from no tongs. Rarely anything else. >> 1 in 1000 gets Metol / Elon reactions. They need to stay out of the >> darkroom >> but maybe go with Phenidone. >> Its the people who experimenting in alternate processes who run into >> trouble. >> Gum Bichromate. potassium dichromate is nasty stuff. >> Platinum printing maybe I think I heard will do you in if your stupid. >> >> But since the 70's at a college darkroom they made you be careful. >> That's when I switched from my hands to tongs. >> >> >> Mark William Rabiner >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >