> > > I haven't seen anyone mention the method I heard about a while ago: > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/hersh (a link to a Google search) > > > > > > Apparently, Milk of Magnesia, dissolved in club soda, does the > > > trick; preserving, anyway. It neutralizes the acid in the paper. I > > > haven't tried this myself, so YMMV. > > > > > > turtlelover <[email protected]> > > > > Actually someone made an oblique reference to it in an email to me > > on the subject. Sounds messy, and easy to screw up. > > > > "John Nichols" <[email protected]> > > Especially when one considers that the club soda is slightly acidic > to start with... > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonic_acid > """ > For a CO2 pressure typical of the one in soda drinks bottles > (\scriptstyle p_{CO_2} ~ 2.5 atm), we get a relatively acid medium (pH = > 3.7) with a high concentration of dissolved CO2. These features are > responsible for the sour and sparkling taste of these drinks. > """ > > Dennis Lee Bieber Thanks, Dennis. I haven't tried it myself, but since I buy neither MoM *nor* club soda, I guess I won't try it in the near future. My apologies to John (the OP). In 200 years, I hope you'll all join me when I ask those who posted this method on web pages if their preserved newspapers are still ... preserved. (No, I *won't* soak myself in MoM and club soda.) ;^D [ Note, all, that Milk of Magnesia is alkaline. Depending upon the proportions of the mixture, a club soda/MoM mixture may be acidic, neutral, or alkaline ... The mixture may act as a pH buffer. I am not, of course, commenting on whether club soda/MoM makes a competent deacidifying treatment. - Mod ] Cheers, Turtlelover turtlelover <[email protected]>