New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-24
PHOTOGRAPHIC MYSTERIES.
UNSvSPrCTED PROPERTIES OF A VAIil-
ETY. OF NATTER
WOOD PRINTERS INK AND COLD METALS EVOLVE
vAPOR THAT PENETIeATES A CElIui-olD
SCREEN AND ALTERS SENSITIVE
PIATr:-NEw FISTS FOR THE rU-


RITY OF SUBSTANCES.
Some revelations we're made in a recent loct-
ure before the Royal Society in London which
possess almost or quite much scientific value
rs E0ntgen's discovery of the rays. They Will
not produce the popular sensation caused by the
announcement Of a previously unknown way to
photograph ones insides. Yet they may modify
i.;ina theories Of matter and chemical proc
tsses somewhat, ana will find number OF use
ful applications in trade and the manufactures
DR.. ". j. Russell described to the Royal So
sicty some experiments which had been in prog
res for year or in the Davy-Faraday
laboratory of the Royal Institution to ascertain
the action of various metals and other sub
stances on a sensitive Photographic plate. 1t
hid been found, for instance. that printing ink
copal varnish and strawboard would operate
much like light Their influence was less in de-
gree. much less. Days were required To produce
an effect which would result in 4 few seconds
from a feeble radiance. But the effect the
same in kind.
Imprt ssiOns were obtained on a Photographic
plate from the print of a book that was dated
1867 and therefore had been throwing off its
peculiar influence for nearly century. Indeed
a book printed in 1Gll. and more than two hun
drcd and fifty years ago. created perceptible.
though very faint. image. Printers ink is thus
shown to be a particularly potent agent in ways
never before suspected. Wood. sound or
charred. was also able to produce this effect
Among the metals which modify the sensitive
film of a plate are aluminium, magnesium and
zinc. Thus. if perforated sheet Of zinc were
held over the Photographic plate it would
uarkcn the latter everywhere except under the
holes. Even ii held several inches above the
plate the metal would still operate in this man
her. In some Of his earlier experiments DR..
Russell noted results which led him 10 think
that mercury was the most active Of all metals
Later he got no effect whatever Suspecting
that his first work had been done with impure
mercury. and that the impurity did the business.
he tried the addition Of exceedingly minute
quantities Of some other substance to pure mer
curry. Zinc gave the most remarkable results
With only one part Of this metal to 10000 Of
quicksilver the plate would receive unmis-
taxable impression in two or three days. Lead
and magnesium. added in thu same way to mer
curry. were nearly as powerful Neither silver
sodium. the other hand. would produce
the slightest effect Nickel was very active,
cobalt less so. and copper and iron almost In
active.
WONDERFUL KIND OF ACTIVITY.
that the influence Of an active substance seems
70 pass. like light, through certain other ma
terals which do not themselves alter the sens-
tive plate. Gclatinc, collodon and cclluloid
screens did not apprccably interfere with the
action Of zinc printers ink. although they had
TO influence OF their own Gutta-percha. which
IS opaque, also failed to stop the passage Of the
mysterious agent.
DR.. Russcll's own explanation If the process f.
that what he calls "active" substances evolve
vapor, which is so subtle as to penetrate screens
OF gea-ine. cellulOid or gutta-percha- Heat
greatly accclerates the observed action. Effects
which would require days at a temperature OF
10 degrees ccntgradc might be secured in as
many hours if the material were brought up to
IS degrees. Temperature had more TO do with
the activity Of metals than that Of other sub
Stances. Nevertheless. DR.. Russell points out
that a metal is not active photographicay in
proportion to it's volatility.
1t will be observed that the changes ordi-
narily wrought in the chemicals Of a sensitive
plate are produced by light. or rays. which
are forms Of energy simply vibrations Of a GER
tain frequency in the ether. If DR.. Kussclls
theory is correct the phenomena which he de-
scribes are brought about by matter not force
The matter is slngularly attcnuatcd, to be sure,
but still. the Royal Society lecturer believes ii
IS matter. Its action is chemical. 1t behaves
h. says. like "a Producing agent" which has the
power Of absorbing oxygen from a metallic com
pound ana thus leaving the metal free.
A CONSTANT EVAPORATION
Tho most astonishing feature Of this story |
y,cr rho 1,