Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)
Pages - 134
from the 17th-18th century, a few craft books, protocols and other records from the history of the Order. Checking with the Disinfection Department of the Capital Institution of the National Public Health and Medical Service (ÁNTSZ) we prepared standard boxes for the transportation and gas disinfection of the expected four cubic meters of findings. The boxes were stable, but they were made so that the gas could penetrate them. (Picture 4) During May and June 1998 the Capital Institution of ÁNTSZ disinfected the books with ethylene oxide in several shifts. After disinfecting the books for 4 hours at 52 °C and 80-90% relative humidity, the cabin was ventilated for six hours under weak and unstable vacuum. After this process the boxes were removed from the cabin and before transportation they were 1. The excavation kept in a room ventilated with large fans for 72 hours. The books remained in the punched boxes in which they were disinfected and then were transported to the central office of the Franciscan Order in Buda. The boxes were kept in a small room ventilated with smaller size fans for six months, to make sure that any possible leftovers from the disinfectant gas would leave the books. After the books were taken from this room the local department of ÁNTSZ in Heves county disinfected the site. The results of microbiological examinations, which were carried out simultaneously, showed that four types of moulds were present on the findings:- several subspecies of Alternaria, a mould creating black beds and also common in households,- white, cotton-wool-like beds of Rhisopus, which turns black after awhile,- and blue mould, or Penicillium, which is actually green and has a bactericidal effect. These species are not harmful to human health and do not cause human sicknesses directly, however their spores could cause respiratory complaints and rashes on the skin. As masks, rubber gloves and disposable paper overalls were worn during work, besides some mild itches, the persons working on the findings had no other symptoms. The found materials were mainly: paper (both the kind made out of rags and the kind made out of wood-pulp), leather, canvas, wood, and a smaller amount of parchment. Because of the nature of the hiding place, the hurried loading and the almost 50 years of improper 2. The Inside of the hole 134
