Removing rust from farm tools

Suzanne Singleton <msingleton [at] fmarion__edu> writes

>... I have been asked to assist in a metal
>conservation problem.  There is a collection of farm tools
>associated with two circa 1836 slave cabins on our campus. ...

I am not a metals conservator so I think that specifically is best
dealt with over this distance by a specialist metals conservator.
However, I write to you as I have been working project managing
storage/re-housing and surveying projects with agricultural items
and Asian Kris all corroded. By chance I asked if any of the staff
(and volunteers) had not had a tetanus vaccination in the last
10years. It turned out that most of the staff had not, very few of
them are away of the extreme risk of tetanus with these items.
(first symptom of tetanus is fever and stiffening jaw, by the time
the jaw is locked there is limited/no treatment, and it is very
painful disease) Tetanus is a world wide risk and is dormant in soil
and particularly rusty metal, which has been in contact with soil.

I would strongly advise that tetanus is updated for all individuals
handling items(conservation registration and handlers etc) and a
warning be noted on the item database for future employees.

Victoria Gill
39 Ponce st
San Lorenzo Makati
+63 28402590


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 23:26
                Distributed: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-23-26-004
                                  ***