Robin



 



The asbestos is relatively straight forward.  If it is undamaged then you need to make sure it is recorded in the asbestos register for your museum, that the object (or its packing) and your object records clearly indicate that the object contains asbestos.  Then as you say you should be OK.   If its damaged you should contact an approved asbestos contractor to remove the asbestos and decontaminate the object (or to dispose of the object). Your local authority may be able to help if you need to dispose of it.



 



If the medicine is a controlled drug (under schedules 1,2 or 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – as amended) you have problems.  Unless you are a hospital/doctor/vet/pharmacy or have been given the drug on prescription then possession is almost certainly illegal.  Returning it to the donor is also not an option as this would be supplying the donor with the drug.  You may be able to obtain a licence to hold the item see:



 



http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs-laws/licensing/domestic-licences/companies 



 



It may be that a local pharmacy would be prepared to hold the item for you while you applied for a licence.



 



However if it was me I would find a conservator and a cooperative pharmacy and get the pharmacist to take the item to the pharmacy and once there have the conservator remove the controlled drugs with as little damage as possible to the container.  The pharmacist can then destroy the drugs.



 



NB drugs on schedules 4 and 5 are less of a problem but I would still not want to have them in my museum.



 



Also note I’m not an expert and you might want to contact the Royal Pharmacutical Society’s museum for more detailed (and probably better) advice:



 



http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/informationresources/museum/ 



 



Trevor Reynolds



Collections Registrar



English Heritage 36 Hospital Fields Road, York, YO10 4DZ 



Telephone +44 (0) 1904 610322 ext 24



-----Original Message-----

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robin Patel

Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:31 PM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Displaying and Storing Medicines in a Museum (UK)



 



Dear All



 



I have been asked to seek advice on UK legislation and good practice for displaying medicine in a museum environment. Specifically, the items concerned are: A World War Two Airman’s kit containing morphine and, more generally, the display of gas masks that contain asbestos. I understand that gas masks can be displayed as long as they are not used, or placed on an individuals head. However, we need advice on the kit in order to cover ourselves for any legal eventualities. If the morphine is contained within a sealed “kit” bag, that has to have invasive, therefore damaging actions (i.e. torn open) I would prefer that the item is contained in a legal environment rather than taking any invasive action or returned to the donor. 



 



Could any of you help with this?



 



Many Thanks



 



Robin Patel



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