postal irradiation

[Panza, Robin]

>>>>From: B. J. Tindall [mailto:bti at DSMZ.DE]
If a package is clearly labelled "biological material" (DNA sample, or
museum specimen) then any suspicious package can be examined by the
appropriate authorities without it being irradiated.<<<<

But then the terrorist simply labels an anthrax package as "contains
biological materials".  The diligent postal worker pulls it out, opens it to
check without irradiation, and gets a snootful of spores (and contaminates
the facility).  No, I really don't think that's going to solve our
problem--no postal worker is going to put himself in such a position when he
can just leave the package on the conveyor belt past the zapper.

Robin K Panza                         panzar at carnegiemuseums.org
Collection Manager, Section of Birds          ph:  412-622-3255
Carnegie Museum of Natural History       fax: 412-622-8837
4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh  PA  15213-4008  USA