Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dave, It does indeed sound like you've become allergic to darkroom chemistry. Have you had any testing done to find out exactly what it might be? I think Joe is right: perhaps a digital darkroom is in your future. Have any of the other darkroom "old timers" on this list had similar problems? Does anyone know of any studies related to allergies/illnesses caused by photographic chemistry? Guy P.S. And as for computer-related health hazards, I was referring to neck, back and nerve damage that can result from unergonomic work conditions, not from printer inks. I have had minor neck problems for about 5 years now caused by spending hours looking at a computer screen that was too high up off the desk I was working at. >Guy, > >I am very careful when it comes to chemicals. Even those considered to be >relatively benign. Still, over the last few years I've noticed some changes >when I spend time over trays. Started out my lips became very chapped after >printing. (My lips never get chapped otherwise.)Yet I never touch any part >of my face in the darkroom, nor do I ever put my hands in chemicals. > >If I inadvertantly come into contact with anything -- and it always seems >to happen regardless of how careful I am -- I wash with soap immediately. > >Recently other things have occured. Not serious mind you. But I know it was >a result of working with darkroom chemicals because it only happened when I >spent time there. And I have to spend less and less time for it to happen. >And the affects seem to be getting worse. I'm in my mid-40s and I've been >printing and developing film for 20+ years. Maybe it's an age thing. Maybe >it's an exposure thing. Maybe it's just me. > >My darkroom, BTW, is extremely well ventilated and I never use exotic >chemicals. OTOH, perhaps because I never used more dangerous chemicals, and >therefore took less care over the years, I've built up some allergies to >certain ingredients. I suppose there could be issues with ink, but I don't >think it's in the same league. > >Dave > >At 09:44 PM 11/7/2001 -0800, you wrote: > >>And as for the toxic chemicals, if you're not splashing around in them and >>your darkroom is well ventilated, the potential danger to your health is >>minimal, ferricyanide notwithstanding. And while we're on the subject, >>hours and hours spent working on the computer can also cause physical >>damage. >> >>Been there, done that. I'll take the darkroom. > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html