THE CAMERA 



297 



inquiry to the Eastman Kodak Com- 

 pany brings the following: 



January 7th, 1913. 

 Mr. Edward F. Bigelow, 



Sound Beach, Conn. 

 Dear Sir : 



Elon, a chemical which we refer to 

 in various printed matter, and in con- 

 nection with formulae, is one of our 

 own products, that, chemically speak- 

 ing is identical with Metol, and if used 

 in the same proportion and manner will 

 produce the same photographic results. 

 This is a coined name the same as 

 Metol and is used for trade purposes 

 only. This, no doubt, accounts for the 

 fact that you were unable to rind it in 

 any of the standard dictionaries. Enol 

 which you refer to as having been 

 noted in Murphy's catalogue, is the 

 name that we formerly used for this 

 chemical, but were compelled to change 

 it on account of trade-mark complica- 

 tions. 



Pyro which you inquire about, is 

 conceded to be the best developer for 

 plates and films that is at present 

 marketed. Probably 75 per cent, or 

 more of the professional photographers 

 of the country use it exclusively for 



this purpose, and while it has some 

 staining (nudities, if one exercises 

 care and does not use a solution that 

 has stood for some time, it very seldom 

 follows that the resulting stain is so 

 bad that it cannot be readily removed. 

 Elon, Metol and other coal tar 

 preparations of like nature, for .sonic 

 reason that no one seems to be sure 

 ot. affects <ome users, producing cin 

 irritated condition of the fingers ; others 

 are immune. We know of photogra- 

 phers that have used Elon or Metol prac- 

 tically for the better part of their lite 

 without having suffered any ill ertects 

 from it. On the other hand, some 

 people become poisoned by simply 

 using 4 ozs. ^i solution containing this 

 chemical for the making of a lew 

 prints. It is not a serious proposition 

 at all, and of course the poison dis- 

 appears shortly after the use of the 

 chemical is discontinued. A great 

 many photographers get around this 

 feature by using rubber gloves or finger 

 tips. From the above you will note 

 that it is not possible for us to state 

 plainly as to what extent Metol is 

 poisonous 01- why it is poisonous. 

 Y< airs very truly, 



Eastman Kodak Co. 



A cool) PHOTOGRAPH, BUT Till-; NAME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS UNKNOWN TO US. 



The photograph bears no name and has become separated from the correspondence. 



