Anthrax question

[Dinosaur]

Cheers for that, had wondered what had happened to it. :face-approve:

Presumably the generally evil environment in most waterlogged tanning pits should make them safe to dig though, apart from the usual hazards like having your skin burnt off (I'll wear gloves next time!)

[Misty]

Yes, I'd wear gloves when on any site with "gloopy" animal remains, especially skins/fur. The spores get into sores or cuts on the skin in 95% of cases, only 5% are air borne (I've just looked it up). The warfare threat would be from anthrax spores spread by aerosol (somehow!). The latest outbreak was a new type as it was directly injected - the anthrax had got into a supply of heroin somehow. The source of that outbreak has not been found.

[Dinosaur]

Main problem on that tannery job was the stuff they'd been tanning the hides in, and had stayed in the pits for 100 yrs cooking away quietly - smelt like creosote and definitely corrosive. Had preserved the timber pit-structures well though :face-approve:

[kevin wooldridge]

Most tanning pits used a mixture of oak bark and urine.....but my experience suggests there is also some reaction with the clay that lined the pits, perhaps creating some kind of lye that would explain the corrosive effect on modern skin. Beaing in mind the original intention of the pit that is hardly surprising....

[CARTOON REALITY]

but my experience suggests there is also some reaction with the clay that lined the pits, perhaps creating some kind of lye that would explain the corrosive effect on modern skin

Lye was actively used in the early part of the tanning process to burn hair and residual flesh off the animal skin, I've dug tanning pits full of the stuff. I presume this happened quickly and skins were then washed. The oak bark and urine was the next (and most time consuming) step (I've dug lots of those pits too.)
These two sorts of pits are often found together - in Dublin at least.
I saw it happening once in present day Morocco, disgusting work.

[Bones]

Thanks everyone for your help with my query
Much appreciated!

[CARTOON REALITY]

ANd speaking of tanning pits:
http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/20...n-tan.html

[Dinosaur]

****er the gloves, waders and a snorkel next time for me! :0