This sounds as intriguing is it will be challenging. I’ve seen a few such displays in which the hollow jaw bone had been inhabited by mice (within a museum), and by spiders, paper wasps and mud dauber wasps (outdoors). The bones might be endowed with yet other cavity-dwelling beasts. Freezing is not likely an option (who has a freezer that size?). If you’re concerned that any beasts might be transported indoors, then consider wrapping or tenting the bones, and purging the interior with a gas that either has toxicant properties (less desirable for many reasons) or one that merely displaces oxygen. Perhaps, you might initially assess the bones in a garage setting where any escaping villains won’t pose risk to museum accessions.
Good luck! Rich Richard J. Pollack, PhD HARVARD UNIVERSITY Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Senior Environmental Public Health Officer 46 Blackstone St. Cambridge, MA 02139 Office: 617-495-2995 Cell: 617-447-0763 www.ehs.harvard.edu richard_poll...@harvard.edu<mailto:richard_poll...@harvard.edu> From: <pestlist@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Geraldine Finlayson <geraldine.finlay...@gibmuseum.gi> Reply-To: "pestlist@googlegroups.com" <pestlist@googlegroups.com> Date: Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 1:29 PM To: "pestlist@googlegroups.com" <pestlist@googlegroups.com> Subject: [PestList] Need for advice Dear all, Our local Botanical Gardens has had a whalebone arch on display in the open since the 1800s. There is very little known about the arch, other than that it is the jawbone of a whale, possibly a Fin whale or a Blue whale. As you can imagine, it is in a very weathered state, and it recently collapsed, so we have been asked to bring it into the museum to work on it. Our conservator has never had to work on anything like this, and we are also concerned about the potential introduction of ‘unwanted guests’. Do any of you have any experience with this kind of object, or any advice on how we should proceed? Frankly, at the moment, we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Grateful for any advice. Thank you, Geraldine Prof G Finlayson, GA, MSc, PhD [Gibraltar National Museum logo 2018] Managing Director & World Heritage Site Coordinator Gibraltar National Museum 18-20 Bomb House Lane • P.O. Box 939 • Gibraltar GX11 1AA e geraldine.finlay...@gibmuseum.gi<mailto:geraldine.finlay...@gibmuseum.gi> w gibmuseum.gi<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.gibmuseum.gi_&d=DwMFaQ&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=GO7C3XN3WgFy2IP-bFBbnUs_CYntqj57Dprtl40-_KE&m=c3LcYXsJ7gZcJNdtv-gizNgmNvf6swQT-FNXEikNxIc&s=K2ksShLQhFY6bam1SOhIzzhvg8-s1aCxHizDQoVEQ3U&e=> t (+350) 200 74289 (+350) 200 77032 (PA) - - - - - - Adjunct Professor Liverpool John Moores University - I said to the almond tree, "Sister, speak to me of God." And the almond tree blossomed. - Nikos Kazantzakis ****************************************************** This message, together with any attachment, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is legally privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, please be informed that any dissemination, distribution, copying, printing or retaining of this message, or any attachment, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender by reply email, and delete the message. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<mailto:pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com>. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/!%26!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAL93A2wcgElOhnUsQVeODsuCtAAAEAAAAGHK9ZBtZihMiQj1FVQwP%2BEBAAAAAA%3D%3D%40gibmuseum.gi<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__groups.google.com_d_msgid_pestlist_-21-2526-21AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAL93A2wcgElOhnUsQVeODsuCtAAAEAAAAGHK9ZBtZihMiQj1FVQwP-252BEBAAAAAA-253D-253D-2540gibmuseum.gi-3Futm-5Fmedium-3Demail-26utm-5Fsource-3Dfooter&d=DwMFaQ&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=GO7C3XN3WgFy2IP-bFBbnUs_CYntqj57Dprtl40-_KE&m=c3LcYXsJ7gZcJNdtv-gizNgmNvf6swQT-FNXEikNxIc&s=Sr-2-D_Hcf32hDH9o41Y7PxH13zULGqnI5cCRV9bTRQ&e=>. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/5A27E0C7-582A-4CDD-9870-BF43DD9A6C4D%40harvard.edu.
