Mail Handlers Used to Poke Holes in Envelopes to Battle Germs and Viruses

  Mail Handlers Used to Poke Holes in Envelopes to Battle Germs and Viruses

"...In the collections of the National Postal Museum and on display in the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery one such paddle that was used by the Board of Health in Montgomery, Alabama, looks more like a diabolical hairbrush than a public health safety tool. The perforating paddle was used like a hammer to poke numerous holes in envelopes in order to allow the contents to get a full measure of fumigation, the second step in sanitizing the mail..."

Reference: www.smithsonianmag.com