The author was the niece of photographic inventor D. H. Houston whose American patents included numerous firsts. Hammer claims that her uncle was the father of motion pictures and was cheated out of millions of dollars. She claims that Houston originated the Kodak name. The Eastman-Walker roll holder did infringe a Houston patent and Walker obtained a license to work the patent.
Hammer's claims tend not to stand detailed examination although it was rumoured that Eastman Kodak bought up most copies of the book to prevent its circulation.