Harmon Seaver[SMTP:hseaver@cybershamanix.com] wrote:

I'm not understanding the comments about wetness affecting mail in a pressure cooker -- using it as an autoclave, that is. I would assume anyone doing this would put the perishable objects in a waterproof container, such as a canning jar. You can get them in 1/2 gallon size. And I'm sure there are any number of steel, aluminum, etc. waterproof containers that would work as well.

Harmon Seaver, MLIS

The whole point of an autoclave is that the superheated steam and condesing superheated water drops transfer heat to the target faster than simple hot air at 1 atm. Putting the material to be sterilized in a waterproof container defeats this goal. Putting it in a pressure tight container such as a canning jar is doubley futile - either the superheated steam and water won't get to the material to be sterilized, or the container will fail catastrophically. Autoclaving ain't for delicate materials. Irradiation would be a better bet. Anthrax spores are (so I've heard) pretty sensitive to UV, so ionizing radiation may not be neccesary. Peter Trei