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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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    Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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    The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

    street map of Postal museum

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Sanitized mail

Object Details

Description
Brown burn spots and discoloration of this cover are the effects of the irradiation process implemented by the US Postal Service in October 2001. This irradiated cover is addressed to Ms. Esther Washington, from the Singapore Philatelic Society, and dated December 1, 2001. It is marked "MAIL SANITIZED."
There is correspondence inside the cover, but the cover has never been opened.
The practice of irradiating mail was initiated for all Washington, DC, Federal offices, following incidences of anthrax-contaminated mail being received by the US federal government, American Media Inc., and the National Broadcast Company (NBC). The anthrax attacks killed five people and made 17 others ill.
Mail addressed to the National Postal Museum is decontaminated at the irradiation facility run by Titan Industries in Lima, Ohio. Although the irradiation process is effective against eliminating biological threats, it has drawbacks. The process is expensive and slows delivery. Additionally, it can damage mail pieces, such as discoloring paper and burning film and photographs.
Reference:
Nakashima, Ellen. “Postal service may end irradiation” Washington Post. December 4 2001. p. A23.
Cole, Leonard A., Anthrax Letters, A Medical Detective Story. Washington DC: Joseph Henry press, 2001.
Credit line
Collected by National Postal Museum staff Smithsonian Institution, National Postal Museum, 2002.2003.3
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
2002
Object number
2002.2003.3
Type
Covers & Associated Letters
Medium
paper; ink; plastic
Dimensions
Height x Width: 9 × 12 1/2 in. (22.86 × 31.75 cm)
Place
SINGAPORE (British commonwealth republic)
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
On View
Currently on exhibit at the National Postal Museum
Topic
Contemporary (1990-present)
Covers & Letters
Record ID
npm_2002.2003.3
Usage
Not determined
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm8cbd99df3-98f0-4236-83e7-efe332b64f2d
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Plan a Visit

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

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Owney, the Railway Mail Service Mascot

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