Anne,
I can sympathize with your problem.  I am just this week completing the transfer/deaccession of medical instruments, bags, and medicines to a more appropriate institution and came across much medicine, remedies, etc.  I, too, am finishing my Master's in Museum Science and from what
I have learned, its best to dispose of these drugs in a safe manner.  With unmarked vials of powders and pills, it's best to call your local HazMat to come pick up these things.  In addition, some of these materials are actually illegal (e.g. cocaine) to keep.  Unless your
institution is medically oriented and can provide standard written policies on proven storage methods, I think its safer to dispose of the medicines.  Off-hand I cannot cite any sources as to my opinion, but will pass them along when I can.  Best of luck!

Kara J. Hurst
Registration Intern



Anne Kirstin Holm wrote:

> Hello all -
>     I'm working on my Masters project, an inventory of a collections storage
> area at a local museum in Seattle. Part of the project is doing condition
> reporting and making recommendations for how to better store some objects.
> I'm a little stumped on one aspect of the collection which is from a
> pharmacy - various medicines and herbal remedies, some of which have
> ingrediant lists, and some of which are more in the line of Lydia Pinkham.
> Does anyone have any experience dealing with this type of collection or have
> any ideas on reference materials? My main questions are how to store these
> objects, how to tell if the contents are hazardous or potentially illegal,
> and whether or not it would be acceptable to remove the contents of
> cardboard containers to mylar bags, to keep bits of things from falling out
> into the collections area?
>    Any help would be greatly appreciated,
>      Thanks you,
>
>       Kirstin Holm
>       Graduate Student
>       University of Washington
>
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