Silver nitrate 50 grains Sodium citrate 800 grains Potassium bichromate 1 to 2 grains Water 10 ounces
“Dissolve the silver nitrate in 1 ounce of water, the citrate and bichromate in the remainder and mix. The precipitate—silver citrate and chromate—is then dissolved by adding 1 dram of ammonia .880, and after 35 drops of strong nitric acid has been added the solution is ready for use.”
This process reminds us that of Robert Hunt (1842), and that of more recent date (1863), of Borlinetto, who developed the image in black with a silver nitrate alcoholic solution, 1:500, and after washing the picture in a solution of citric acid, 1:10, fixed it by aqueous ammonia. But, although that is not absolutely necessary, we would advise one working this, or similar processes in which a silver salt is employed for developing, to fix the image, after treatment with citric acid to clear the proofs from iron salts, in a solution of ammonium sulphocyanate—which has not the injurious effect of sodium thiosulphate (hyposulphite)—in order to prevent the paper to be tinged by the reduction of the silver nitrate which is mechanically retained in its fiber.
The solution of ammonium sulphocyanate should be compounded with auric chloride to tone the picture at the same time it is fixed; thus:
Ammonium sulphocyanate 35 parts Gold terchloride 0.15 part Water 350 parts
In the processes devised by Dr. Phipson, Monckhoven and other authorities, the double ammonio-ferric oxalate is rightly recommended instead of the simple oxalate. Not only is the preparation more sensitive to the luminous action, but better half tones are obtained. As usual, it is advantageous to size the paper with starch.
The ammonio-ferric oxalate is prepared by precipitating ferric chloride or sulphate by aqueous ammonia, then washing the precipitate collected on a filter until the washing water be neutral or does not evolve the smell of ammonia. The precipitate is then placed in an evaporating dish, and by small quantity is added a hot solution of ammonium oxalate until it is nearly (not entirely) dissolved, when the solution is set aside for a few hours, then filtered and evaporated to crystallization. For use, the crystals of ammonio-ferric oxalate are dissolved in the proportion of 1 for 5 of distilled water. The solution as well as the crystals should be kept in the dark.