Hi, I had to stop using my B&W darkroom due to becoming very sensitive to some chemicals in the developer and stop bath fumes over a period of several years of heavy, almost daily use. Even with the addition of good ventilation directly over the stop bath tray I would have a reaction to the acetic acid I used for the stop bath. My hands developed an ugly, painful rash if I came near the developer and I could not use gloves because I couldn't get a grip on the materials and the gloves would drip all over the place. I gave up in frustration and miss the time I used to spend in the dark watching images appear on paper out of nowhere. The digital darkroom while not quite as satisfying is still quite enjoyable though B&W output on consumer inkjet printers are a long way from what I would call great prints. Is there a way to get decent B&W prints from an inkjet that won't break the bank? Regards, Chip Louie > > Hi There: > > The dermatological vulnerability to chemicals is twofold: > > 1. The immediate toxicity that a given substance possesses > > 2. The allergic hypersensitivity than an individual may develop > over time, > with repeated exposure > > Pulmonary problems could arise with any fume or aerosolized substance. > > The highly alkaline B&W developers were notorious for causing > hypersensitivity reactions, and acetic acid (stop bath) caused pulmonary > reactions, as did fixer. The color chemicals had the dubious distinction > of contributing to ALL of them. Some poor souls had to retreat from > darkroom work entirely. > > I LIKE the clean and light "digital darkroom", with it's wonderful image > control. Still, if one yearns for "hands on and in".... . :-) > > Jack Winberg > > At 10:50 AM 12/27/01 +0000, Kennedy wrote: > >I don't believe the hazard from conventional black & white chemicals is > >significant - it is a lot more dangerous breathing the fixer fumes than > >putting your hands in the developer or fixer, providing you wash them > >immediately afterwards. Colour chemicals are a completely different > >matter though. - Turn off HTML mail features. Keep quoted material short. Use accurate subject lines. http://www.leben.com/lists for list instructions.