this country by some few who regard its use as a valuable secret.

Bromide of Starch.--This preparation is much used, but not alone. It
is combined with lime by putting about one part in measure of starch to
four of lime. It is prepared by adding bromine to finely pulverized
starch, in the same manner as bromide of lime. (See Accelerators.)

Experiments with Bromine.--Place in a very flaring wine glass a few
drops (say ten) of bromine, then place a small piece of phosphorus
about one-twentieth of an inch in diameter. Place the latter on the
end of a stick from five to ten feet in length. So place it that the
phosphorus can be dropped into the glass, and in an instant combustion
giving a loud report will be the result.

b. Expose a daguerreotype plate to the vapor of bromine, it assumes a
leaden-grey color, which, blackens by light very readily. Exposing
this to mercury will not produce any decided action upon the lights.
Immerse it in the solution of the muriate of soda, and the parts
unacted upon by light becomes a jet black, while the parts on which the
light has acted will be dissolved off, leaving a clean coating of
silver. This will be a most decided black picture on a white ground.

c. Expose an impressioned plate, that has been sufficient time in the
camera to become solarized, to the vapors of bromine, and the
impression will be fully developed and exhibit no signs of
solarization. The exposure over the bromine most be very brief.
Chlorine or iodine will produce the same result. The latter is
preferable.

Again, should the impressioned plate be exposed too long over the vapor
of bromine, the impression would be rendered wholly insensitive to the
mercurial vapor. Hence this method is resorted to for restoring the
sensibility of the plate when there is reason to believe that the
impression would not be a desirable one; as, for example, if a likeness
of a child be wanted, and it had moved before the plate had been
sufficiently long exposed in the camera, the plate may be restored to
its original sensitiveness by re-coating over bromine, as above, thus
saving the time and labor of re-preparing the plate for the chemicals.

d. If by accident (we would not advise a trial to any extent of this),
you should inhale a quantity of the vapor of bromine, immediately
inhale the vapor of aqua ammonia, as this neutralizes the dangerous
effect of the bromine vapor. Every operator should be provided with a
b