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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: BonnieDownUnder on Sunday 23 November 14 23:42 GMT (UK)
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Hello,
I read somewhere - but as things go can't seem to find it again - that the ink used in printing presses in the 1800s caused serious health issues, even deaths.
I have two Printers who both died after suffering 'long and painful illness' - one ending up in an Asylum prior to passing away.
Can anyone help with what additives were used in Ink back then ... I was thinking arsenic but could be totally wrong.
Thanks
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Possibly heavy metals.
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/13/business/technology-farewell-to-those-old-printing-ink-blues-and-a-few-reds-and-yellows.html
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Thanks for link Erato. Bonnie
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My father was a pigments/printing/color photography chemist before he retired. He would know the history of printing inks. I will ask him. But don't expect a quick reply [possibly even no reply] because he's old and he is very recalcitrant about using email. He hasn't answered my last one yet.
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Thanks again Erato ... when you hear, (or not) that's OK. Bonnie
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If you read the following Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink), there is a small section on Health issues?!
Inks for use in printing were "an oily, varnish-like ink made of soot, turpentine, and walnut oil was created specifically for the printing press."
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Hi, my input comes from my experience as a small offset printer (retired), and from my knowledge of historical printing processes.
First of all, the printing processes used in the early 1800s would have been flatbed, either Albion type or rotary a bit later. Both utilise a bed of metal type (used to be wood), and this metal was LEAD. Much handling of the type was needed to set up the job, and before linotype the letters all came separate.
The main hazards in printing come from the inks and the solvents, but then it was also the lead. The symptoms of lead poisoning range from anemia, headache, seizures, coma, and finally death.
In those days they did not know about the dangers so no rubber gloves, barrier cream, good ventilation and scrupulous hygeine.
Dermatitis is a modern problem but I don't think it kills you. Once developed, many printer have to give up working in the industry though.
Perhaps this helps.
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First of all, the printing processes used in the early 1800s would have been flatbed, either Albion type or rotary a bit later. Both utilise a bed of metal type (used to be wood), and this metal was LEAD. Much handling of the type was needed to set up the job, and before linotype the letters all came separate.
To improve the sharpness of the type produced lead was alloyed with antimony (among other possible things). Where lead is just bad, antimony is terrible for one's health.
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....and Linotype involved casting the type as you went along, so there would be molten type metal (and therefore presumably vapour). Wonderful machines of a different era, precision mechanical engineering, and spectacular when things go wrong. I toyed with a Linotype back in the 1970s and still have memories of type metal splashing out.....
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I am well acquainted with Nigel Roche, the chief librarian at the St Bride Printing Library. I am overdue to go and see him ... if I remember, I'll try to ask him about this and report back any comments he may have.