Storing silver picrate

Robyn Waymouth <robyn.waymouth<-at->thewomens<.>org<.>au> writes

>We have several small bottles of a pharmaceutical product from ca.
>1937 which may not be safe to keep in our collection.  The product
>is labelled as Compound Picatrol and (in small print) Silver
>Picrate, 1% in a kaolin base.  ...

and

Sophie Rowe <rswr2<-at->cam<.>ac<.>uk> writes

>Subject: Conservation of radioactive objects
>
>The Polar Museum holds a radioactive compass with radium paint on
>the inside of the lid, and this radium paint is now beginning to
>flake and contaminate the inner surfaces of the object ...

The best answer to both these problems is to get rid of the
material.  Picrates are unstable, and can blow up easily, get rid of
this as fast and carefully as you can.  Your safety officer should
have a contact to help you.ours called the fire department.you
cannot imagine how fast they came.  I also can't see how you can
consolidate the flaking radium dial paint, safely, and I advise
deaccessioning that object.

Susan Lee-Bechtold


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 30:8
                   Distributed: Sunday, July 10, 2016
                        Message Id: cdl-30-8-003
                                  ***