AUTHOR’S ABSTRACT OF THIS 1 ’ A I ’ ~ R ISSI‘EI) HY THE BIRLIOGRAPHIC SRIIVICE. SOVCrfEMl I!)

A PROCESS FOR ACCURATE RECORDING BY LIFE- SIZED, TONED AND TINTED PHOTOGRAPHS

BEVERLY DOUGLAS

Drpar t t~ea t of Surgrrg, Yale U7ctvr~sitg

ONE TEXT F I G U R E

The recent advances in the technique of color photography might lead one to believe erroneously that the Lumiere, Paget, or similar methods fulfill all the necessities of colored repro- ductions. One chief objection holds for all of these color processes, that is, tlie finislied product is on glass rather than on paper. Other disadvantages are the great cost, the slow (ixposure required, and tlie inaccuracy of results in any except the most skillet1 hands. The color tones are, of course, sub- ject to change with inaccuracies of exposure and of tlevelop- ment. The writer has personally used the Lumiere process and has seen tlie Paget process employed by several pliotog- raphers. Further development in color photograpby may make these applicable for general scientific use, but at the present time this is not the case.

In 1907 a metliod called the ‘Uto’ proccss was published in Zurich for color work on glass. Three years later, in London, it was proposecl by a somewhat similar method to print color plates such as the Uto plates and tlie Lumiere autocliromes on paper. The metliod utilized was termed the ‘Uto-color process’ after its fore-runner. It was first advertised in this country by a Rochester firm in 1918. While this must be regarded as an advance, yet the browns and blacks of the picture mere very poorly represented. Moreover, tlie manu- facture of Uto-color paper has been discontinued since the war.

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B y sketcliing or painting of scientific subjects in color a good artist can reproduce a subject with fai r accuracy. It is, however, very tedious and uneconomical and the results in subjects requiring very great detail will usually not compare favorably with those produced by life-size photograpliy.

A process which has none of the disadvantages noted above is as follows:

The subject is pliotograplied with a n ordinary camera and the positive enlarged or printed exactly life size on a suitable paper. Tlie image is made very faint in order to avoid inter- ference with coloring later on. This outline print is then toned according to the predominant tone of the picture of the subject and is readily colored from direct observation of the lesion, employing transparent colors of water or oil.

A fen- details of technique will be found of value in follow- ing this nietliocl. In the first place, it will be found convenient in focusing or iii obtaining a life-size picture by enlargement to place four narrow strips of black paper, each one a n inch in length, so that their image will appear on the four sides in tlie negative. On enlarging these or on focusing tliem until the mean average is 1 inch, tlie reproduction will be life-size. The original photograph shoulcl always be taken life-size when possible. If this cannot be done, a n enlarged negative slioultl hc made always, as this allows of duplication of prints and also of printing on suitable paper. The enlarged print should be rnacle faintly so as not to interfere with tlie colors which will later be superimposed.

The choice of a suitable printing paper is anotlier detail of extreme iiiiportance in the method. However, there is a re- markable variety of papers on tlie market from wliieli to choose. The ‘printing out’ papc’rs are, as a rule, as suitable as the ‘(leveloping out’ ones. One siionld choose a paper wliicli will tone easily to tlie predominant tone of tlie subject photograplicd. ‘ Azo ’ or similar ‘developing out’ papers will probably be found the most suitable for black tones ancl mill tone readily to blue as in figure 1. ‘T’elwt green’ is used for

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greens; ‘Solio,’ ‘Seltona,’ ‘Mimosa,’ or similar ‘printing out’ papers for tones varying from red to yellow; Royal Bromide for sepias. A brilliant chocolate-brown tone, which has been found valuable for reproductions of pathological specimens, is obtained with ‘Azo’ or ‘Mimosa’ papers and ‘Mimosa Dres- den Carbon Toning Solution. ’

Almost any surface in the print paper will be found suitable for coloring with photographic water colors or witli similar oil colors. The latter may be obtained at any photograpliic establishment. Even a glossy surface will be found to color

well with water colors. The coloring requires remarkably little skill, since the outlines are present and the shades are easily matched by direct comparison with the subject. If it is impossible to fill in the color directly from the subject, it is best to make a pencil sketch and to note on it the exact tint with colors.

The high cost of publishing color reproductions has made it necessary to omit several illustrations like that of the skin graft (see below), which we would like to include in this article. However, a study of figure 1 will indicate the steps in the application of the process.

The subject is the kidney of a dog in which Dr. Isabella M. Wasson injected the capsular circulation and one branch of

the renal artery with Berlin blue ancl tlie otlier branch witli carmine gelatin. Following tlie technique above described, a colored pliotograpli was made by tlie artist, a r m i n B. ITeni- berger. First , a life-size photograph was taken. From tliis a faint print was made on ‘Azo’ paper and was toned blue7 the predominant tone of the subject. Tliis faint print is re- producetl at A (fig. 1). The various colors I W ~ P then filled in upon the faint outlines by tlie use of transparent water colors and with the subject for comparison. At B is seen tlie original pliotograpli of tlie subject printed full strength. C is merely a pliotograpliic copy of A after the 1attc.r has been fully colorc~d to life. By comparing C and B, one ma;\- get an idea of tlw accuracJ- of the visual record wliicli can easil5- be obtained by this process.

The ordinary photographic plate or film inisrepresents tlie value of reds. Thus in C tlw sljglit shadow in the lower part of tlie cortex is due to its deep pink tint. Therefore it slioultl be riotetl that if the picture is to be used for publication in- stead of being kept as a laboratory record, an ortliochromatic+ plate and filter should be employed for copying, or else t l r c h reds sliould purposely be undercolored.

Tlie value of the method for recording clinical subjects is apparent from the following account: A record was made b\ means of it from a three-stage small devp skin graft on a pa- tient of Ih. Mont Reid in Professor Halstecl’s Clinic at Johns Hopkins while the autlior was interne there. A photograp11 was taken a t one short sitting wliile the coloring of the cw- largecl and toned print required two more short periods. I n one of tliese the wound mas exposed for observation and coni- parison. The total working time required was less than three hours. Tlie coloring was done with transparent water colors. At the same time a skrtcli in color was made by tlie artist of the department. This required several sittings on as many days, aiitl meanwliile the skin was growing ancl tlie ~vountl changing in appearance. The sketch was a beautiful and faithful r~production, yet qna1it:xtivt~l~- ancl not quantitatively

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so, ancl tlie method was tedious both from the standpoint of the art ist ant1 the subject. The exact measurements of the graftetl and ungrafted areas can be made from the photo- graphic reproduction at an\- time by a method previously publishecl'. This woultl be impossible if tlie artist's sketch were used. The late Professor Halstead and Doctor Reid an(l Doctor Follis were kind enough to verify the accuracy of this photographic reproduction both from the standpoint of form and of color.

SUMMARY

X pliotograpliic rnetliotl is dcxx-ibecl for recording accur- ately in colors, anatomical, pathological, and clinical subjects, up to this time only satisfactori1:- represented by the artist.

'Douglas, B., Amlnls of Surgery, rol. 74, no. 6, Jiinr, 1921. p. G73.