CONTAMINATED REMAINS 18 JANUARY 91

File: 120396_sep96_decls45_0003.txt
Page: 0003
Total Pages: 4

Subject: CONTAMINATED REMAINS  18 JANUARY 91                             

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box ID: BX003204

Folder Title: CONTAMINATED REMAINS                                                                            

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:         13









             In the case of anthrax, spores will be present necessitating increased personal protection for the graves
             personnel (vaccination and respirators) and a different approach to treatment of the remains.
                      The presence of living anthrax spores in the remains can only be confidently excluded if the bodies
             are incinerated.
                      If incineration is not an option, then an alternate approach would involve removing the residual
             bony and other materials (perhaps retaining them on a strainer or putting them into a mesh bag). These
             remains could then be labeled, placed in mesh bags, and soaked in hypochlorite baths. This would
             inactivate spores provided the bleach penetrated. If large amounts of tissue are present, then further
             manipulations (eg, heating and prolonged soaking) would be needed to assure penetration or sterilization.
             The resultant skeletal remains would then be safe for repatriation with minimal risk of anthrax infection.
             Spores might well survive in the marrow cavities or some other cryptic site, but the actual risk to graves
             identification personnel or burial attendants is nil. T'he possibility of some politically sensitive (but not
             practically dangerous) event such as a plane crash should be considered. Both incineration and the
             hypochlorite options would be practical for concomitant CW agent contamination.




                                                                               RONALD G. WILLIAMS
                                                                               Colonel, MC
                                                                               Commanding

Document 4 f:/Week-36/BX003204/CONTAMINATED REMAINS/contaminated remains 18 january 91:1122961634153
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003204
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = CONTAMINATED REMAINS
Folder Seq # = 13
Subject = CONTAMINATED REMAINS 18 JANUARY 91
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 22-NOV-1996