How's this for a plot bunny? Semen as invisible ink.

[Liar]

MI6 'used bodily fluids as invisible ink'

British intelligence services experimented with using semen as an invisible ink to write top-secret letters, it has been disclosed.

A diary entry belonging to a senior member of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has revealed that during the First World War it was discovered that the bodily fluid could act as an effective invisible ink.

In June 1915, Walter Kirke, deputy head of military intelligence at GHQ France, wrote in his diary that Mansfield Cumming, the first chief (or C) of the SIS was "making enquiries for invisible inks at the London University".

In October he noted that he "heard from C that the best invisible ink is semen", which did not react to the main methods of detection. Furthermore it had the advantage of being readily available.

A member of staff close to "C", Frank Stagg, said that he would never forget his bosses' delight when the Deputy Chief Censor said one day that one of his staff had found out that "semen would not react to iodine vapour".

Stagg noted that "we thought we had solved a great problem".

However, the discovery also led to some further problems, with the agent who had identified the novel use having to be moved from his department after becoming the butt of jokes.

In addition, at least one agent had to be reminded to use only fresh supplies of the 'ink' when correspondents began noticing an unusual smell.

The revelations are included in 'MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949' by Professor Keith Jeffery.

Prof Jeffery, of Queen's University, Belfast, was given access to all of MI6's files between those years. The book is published on Tuesday and is being serialised in The Times.

The possibilities are endless.

How about a two-component solution required for the most super-secret stuff?

 

[3113]

The possibilities are endless.

But how does one "reveal" the invisible writing?

I do like the idea of a fantasy story about semen as an invisibility cloak

 

[JackLuis]

But how does one "reveal" the invisible writing?

I do like the idea of a fantasy story about semen as an invisibility cloak

Only trouble is getting five men to provide enough 'material' for a cloak.

 

[3113]

Only trouble is getting five men to provide enough 'material' for a cloak.

If it doesn't have to be too thickly put on, a little could go a long way.

 

[TE999]

But how does one "reveal" the invisible writing?

The paper needs to be heated and the writing turns brown and readable. Cola, fruit juice, wine, vinegar, soap, milk, sugar, honey...and yes, semen, urine, saliva and blood serum can be used as well.

The 'trick' is to dilute the liquid sufficiently so it's not visible.

 

[Bebeslut]

Hmmmm...Cummings was interested in cum.

 

[CharleyH]

The possibilities are endless.

How about a two-component solution required for the most super-secret stuff?

LOL, I wish there was a LOVE IT link.

 

[Liar]

Hmmmm...Cummings was interested in cum.

Heh, didn't even notice his name.

 

[oggbashan]

Cummings was the original C, the Head of MI6. His successors were also referred to as C. Ian Fleming changed C to M for the Bond books. Stagg became Q.

Og

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I'm really surprised that semen doesn't react to iodine vapor. Disbelieving, even. Exposing a sample to iodine vapor was probably the most common technique used in paper chromatography to make trace amounts of invisible chemical and biological substances visible for many years. About the only organic substances that don't react with iodine vapor are saturated hydrocarbons.

Another very common detection method is to use UV light. Semen fluoresces like a mother under UV light, and that's the technique most forensic labs use to visualize "occult" body fluids at crime scenes or on clothing. (Visualize but not identify. Once the substance is visualized, its identity had to be established by other tests)This was certainly known during WWII

It seems to me that if they were seriously considering using semen as invisible ink, they would have checked its properties under UV as well, so this all seems a little (pardon me here) fishy to me.

I wonder if the guy's pen clogged when he did the test?

 

[3113]

It seems to me that if they were seriously considering using semen as invisible ink, they would have checked its properties under UV as well, so this all seems a little (pardon me here) fishy to me.

Well, Dr. M, in the name of science and for the sake of all us Aher's who need to know--else how will we finish off that spy story we're working on?--why not test it out for us?

 

[TxRad]

I wonder if the guy's pen clogged when he did the test?

I hope you are referring to his fountain pen.

 

[SlickTony]

Another very common detection method is to use UV light. Semen fluoresces like a mother under UV light, and that's the technique most forensic labs use to visualize "occult" body fluids at crime scenes or on clothing. (Visualize but not identify. Once the substance is visualized, its identity had to be established by other tests)This was certainly known during WWII

A couple of years ago I got my son a CD storage thing that had black lights, and as soon as he turned it on, that's when he found out that he drools on his pillow. But that was a relief--he was afraid the cat had peed on it.

 

[oggbashan]

...

Another very common detection method is to use UV light. Semen fluoresces like a mother under UV light, and that's the technique most forensic labs use to visualize "occult" body fluids at crime scenes or on clothing. (Visualize but not identify. Once the substance is visualized, its identity had to be established by other tests)This was certainly known during WWII

It seems to me that if they were seriously considering using semen as invisible ink, they would have checked its properties under UV as well, so this all seems a little (pardon me here) fishy to me.

I wonder if the guy's pen clogged when he did the test?

Wood's Light was invented in 1903 but the use of UV light for detecting invisible writing wasn't easily available and possibly not known during the First World War. The article refers to the experiments taking place in 1915.

Apart from the usual methods such as iodine vapour, insufflation with aluminium powder which was in common use for disclosing fingerprints, might have revealed the scratch marks made by the writing implement. The use of a camel hair brush was advocated for "secret" writing.

What MI6 needed was an easily available "ink" that wouldn't reveal the spy for what he was just by possession of the "ink". If semen had worked then it would have seemed an ideal solution. Presumably female spies such as Mata Hari could obtain a copious supply...

Og

 

[dr_mabeuse]

A couple of years ago I got my son a CD storage thing that had black lights, and as soon as he turned it on, that's when he found out that he drools on his pillow. But that was a relief--he was afraid the cat had peed on it.

There's a great scene at the end of one episode of "The Office" (American version) where clueless boss Michael Scott is trying to set up a swingin' party in his motel room during a trade show. He's got a disco ball going and hot tunes playing, a pitcher of Cosmo's all ready, and then he turns on the black light and you see the bed spread's just covered with luminescent stains. From their location, you can be pretty sure they're not from drool.

There are urban legends about both men and women returning to a black-lit disco from the parking lot and having the stains from their recent activities suddenly fluoresce on their clothes.

Could be semen. Could be drool too, I suppose.

 

[rgraham666]

Under the right circumstances there are other ways semen can be used to send messages.