Surrey County Asylum
June 2. 1852
My Dear Sir,
I have to thank you for your kindness in sending me the old mans head which is most excellent but I value it especially as coming from yourself– I think the collodion is rapid enough for all practical purposes if used with a quick lens. When the light is favourable I have frequently produced a strong negative by removing the cap & replacing it as rapidly as I could move my hand– The enclosed of Mrs Diamond is from a negative produced whilst I counted four– I am sorry to say that I still find much trouble in getting my collodion uniform in its action. Two bottles prepared apparently the same I find to be very different in their powers & I often have the little black spots without being able to account for them– much the best way seems to be to add the Iodide of Silver just moist to the pure collodion and after shaking it for a little while when it becomes opaque then to drop in a few pieces of Iodide of Potasm which will clear the solution perfectly– & when clear pour off the collodion into a fresh bottle. The Iodide of Pot. sometimes appears scarcely diminished & even in this process I find the fluid sometimes clears in a few minutes and at other times it is a whole day. For plane or almost plane surfaces I believe the mixture of Prot. Nit. of Iron developes more minutely than any thing else. I assure you that the little coin of Agrippian is as perfect as the original which is much worn & defaced. I think you will read Agrippine Auguste Caesare’s Avo. quite legibly– The next coin also of Claudius the one quoted for the Authority of placing the Duke of Wellington <1> in the Arch at Hyde Park Corner is also quite as perfect as the original NERO CLAUDUS DRUSUE GERMAN IMP. but I fear I shall trouble you with these observations because no doubt they are nothing compared to what may be done in minuteness by photography & in hands who constantly practice. At present I have never thanked you for your reply to mine respecting the portraits of the insane. I fear our proposed journal will not be brought to bear– The idea was that each medical officer should furnish a given quote to each member but at present we do not act with that unanimity which would be desired. Having admitted the proprietors of private Asylums as members we find our ideas are different & we have different interests to support. Nothing will ever give the expression of the insane like your art– The enclosed pray do not look at as photographs critically but such as they are, they are most accurate & useful. Sir A Morrison’s <2> delineations of the insane instead of being truthful are perfect characatures <sic>.
Again thanking you I am my dear Sir
Your very obliged
Hugh W. Diamond
Notes:
1. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852).
2. Sir Alexander Morison (1779–1866), a Scot, was a physician to Princess Charlotte and an expert on insanity. His 1825 Outlines of Lectures on Mental Diseases (London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, & Highley), highly popular, was illustrated by a large series of portraits and went through many editions under various titles, eventually being edited by his son Thomas Coutts Morison.