274 HOW TO WORK 



or i drachm of the solution, is to be neutralised with bicarbonate of 

 soda in 9 or 10 ounces of soft water, then half a drachm of the 

 crystallised acetate of soda is to be added. This is to be used the 

 day after making ; it keeps well, and can be strengthened by adding 

 freshly made solution prepared somewhat stronger. Occasionally 

 the neutral or alkaline solution of gold-bath will not act ; but if the 

 dish be set over a jug or basin of hot water, the toning action will 

 commence, or a few drops of the chloride of gold may be added. 

 Good toned prints have also been produced by using the weakened 

 neutral solution of gold and soda for the next lot of prints, adding 

 some fresh solution of gold. Other toning solutions are made with 

 biborate, or phosphate of soda ; also with acetate and chloride of lime. 

 The unaltered chloride of silver has now to be removed from 

 the paper. 



351. Fixing; Solution. The fixing solution is made by putting 

 into a gutta-percha dish, kept for this purpose only, according to the 

 size and number of the prints, 



2 ounces of hyposulphite of soda to 8 or i o ounces of soft water. 



As a precaution, in case the hyposulphite should be acid, a small 

 lump of chalk or whiting is to be added. Remove the prints from 

 the water, drain well, if convenient, against the sides of the dish, then 

 pass them singly into the fixing solution, keeping them there, in the 

 case of a thin paper, for 10 minutes, and a thick paper for 15 minutes. 

 They must be kept in motion. These different processes should be 

 conducted more or less continuously so as not to lose time. 



When the prints are removed from the hyposulphite, drain well, 

 then pass them into a vessel of clean water, which should be changed 

 often during the first hour, draining completely each time. They 

 may then be left for 6 hours or longer, the water being changed 

 every half hour, or kept under a gentle stream of water. They are 

 to be finished by soaking them for a short time in hot water. After 

 this they are pinned up, and a piece of bibulous paper attached to 

 the opposite end, so that the fluid may be drained off quickly. The 

 hyposulphite solution should be used when freshly made. 



352. of Mount iny, the Prints. The prints when dry are unpinned, 

 pressed in a book or ironed on the back, then trimmed and mounted 

 on card or thick paper, first laying them in the folds of a damp cloth, 

 and the cards in another damp cloth. When the prints lie flat, they 

 are to be removed to a clean surface of paper, and a stiff brush with 

 thick mucilage from dextrine, or thick white starch paste, passed once 

 over the back of the photograph, which is then placed on the card 

 in the desired position. A clean fine cloth is passed over it, and 



