Cellulose nitrate mass hysteria has resulted in the wanton
destruction of many valuable and (by definition) irreplaceable
images. Part of this mass hysteria has been the disinclination
to understand the differences between cine film and sheet film,
and between film showing decomposition and that not. (By the
way, I believe that the terminology is "spontaneous," not
"simultaneous," combustion.)

According to Michael McColgin:
>
> Robert Bradspies wrote, "Old decomposed nitrate should be considered a HIGH
> EXPLOSIVE."
> This is true only of movie film and that's because it is stored rolled in a
> metal cannister.  I ran across some severely deteriorated nitrate movie
> film years ago in the collection of an arboretum's archives.   The local
> police and fire people  wanted no part of it, but the bomb squad for a
> state agency were thrilled and had a new experience exploding the stuff.  I
> have never heard of cellulose nitrate film exploding if it's in sheet
> format.  It would require a combination of extraordinary housing and
> environmental conditions for sheet film to combust simultaneously.   I am
> not suggesting that nitrate negs in still photo collections don't require
> special attention-- they do.
> For further information, an excellent reference is "Archives & Manuscripts:
> Administration of Photographic Collections" by Ritzenthaler, Munoff and
> Long.  It's part of the SAA Basic Manual Series, and I think it's the best
> of its kind.
>
> Michael McColgin                               Phone: (602) 542- 4159
> Preservation Officer                            Fax: (602) 542- 4402
> Arizona State Archives                      Email: [log in to unmask]
> 1700 West Washington                      Smoke Signal: 0 oo 000 o0o0
> Phoenix, AZ  85007
>
>                    Conservators make it last longer.
>