Smoke damaged books

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I wonder about the safety of gases used on books after they've been
exposed to smoke from a house fire--my question is of personal, not
professional concern.  My personal library was "treated" in some
chemical way several years ago after exposure to smoke from a house
fire.  Sooty books were discarded, but clean ones kept, and now
whenever I am in their company in a closed room I rapidly begin to
experience what I call an alkaline taste--this is accompanied by
some coughing--and I wonder how concerned to be about it (it is a
nuisance, but I mask it by drinking a lot of water--or beer) and how
I might eliminate the problem without tossing all the books.  The
books have recently been moved dust is visible on or around them.

Bonnie Jo Dopp
bjdopp [at] wam__umd__edu

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                   Conservation DistList Instance 9:6
                   Distributed: Sunday, July 2, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-6-006
                                  ***