All the hair dyes here and elsewhere given stain the skin as well wherever they come in contact with it; hence care should be taken to protect the skin during their application.
This and similar hair dyes consist of two preparations, preserved in bottles I. and II.; the latter, containing the silver solution, should be of dark amber-colored or black glass, as the silver salts are decomposed by light. It is utterly useless to employ blue glass for this purpose, as this admits the chemical rays of light as easily as flint glass. For use, some of the liquid from bottle I. is poured into a cup and the hair is moistened with it by means of a soft brush. The liquid from bottle II. is poured into a second cup and applied with another brush.
Sulphide of potassium 7 oz. Alcohol 1 qt.
Silver nitrate 4¼ oz. Distilled water 1 qt.
Sulphide of potassium ½ lb. Alcohol 1 qt.
Silver nitrate 5½ oz. Distilled water 1 qt.
The sulphide of potassium (liver of sulphur) appears in fragments of a liver-brown mass which readily dissolves in water. The solution must be filtered before being filled into bottles for sale, and, as it becomes turbid in the air, kept in well-closed vessels. When the two solutions are brought together, black sulphide of silver results and darkens the hair. After the use of this preparation a disagreeable odor of rotten eggs adheres to the hair, but can be easily removed by washing, especially with one of the previously mentioned hair washes.
The silver hair dye will be still better if the liquid contained in bottle II. is made by dropping into the solution, under continual stirring, ammonia water, until the precipitate first formed is again dissolved.
Silver nitrate 150 grains. Distilled water 2¾ oz. Ammonia water 1 oz.
Pyrogallic acid 15 grains. Alcohol of 40% 1 pint.
Powdered nut-galls 14 oz. Water 1 pint. Rose water 1 pint.
Boil the nut-galls in the water, strain the boiling liquid through a thick cloth into the rose water, and fill the still hot mixture into bottles which must be immediately closed. (It is essential that the liquid be hot during the filling, to guard against the development of mould.)
Silver nitrate 5½ oz. Distilled water 1 qt.
Add ammonia water to the silver solution until the precipitate first formed is again dissolved.