Page:The museum, (Jackson, Marget Talbot, 1917).djvu/159

Rh. This process is the safest both for the operator and for the objects, as well as the most thorough. In certain cases where for any reason it is deemed inadvisable to use the chemical fumes, the vacuum itself if sufficiently protracted is said to have a similar effect. In one of the best known European museums there is a large collection of peasant costumes. These are kept in sealed cases, yet, even so, the danger from moths is so great that the garments are periodically painted over with a strong solution of arsenic, and the guard who patrols the room often shows symptoms of arsenic poisoning. The life of the garments themselves and the health of those in charge of the collection would be greatly improved could the museum install such a vacuum system as that described above. Another preventive of moths which is sometimes used is newspaper. It does not affect the eggs and is only useful if the object to be cared for can be completely covered. In case rugs, tapestries or textiles are to be put away for a long time they should be rolled on a wooden stick with newspapers between and finally done up thoroughly in more newspapers. The moths dislike printers' ink and will keep away from it.

It is unfortunate that we cannot always allow tapestries to be hung on our museum walls in the