paraffin-treated cork. Bottles are preferred 
because of their greater shock resistance, but 
heavy-walled tubes are acceptable if prop- 
erly packed. Closure by fusion is also accept- 
able. 
b. Place the glass container in an airtight and 
watertight tin to absorb any leakage, pack 
absorbent cotton, vermiculite, sawdust, or 
other suitable absorbent material around the 
glass container. 
c. Pack the can in a cardboard container with 
crumpled newspaper or other shock-resisting 
insulating material and wrap for shipment. 
d. Individual tubes must be shipped in con- 
tainers providing sufficient space for shock- 
absorbing material all around the tube. If 
several tubes are packed in the same can, 
wrap them individually in absorbent material 
such as soft paper or cloth to provide ade- 
quate cushioning between the tubes. 
e. SCREW-CAP TUBES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED 
for blood, serum, or other fluid specimens 
because leakage frequently occurs, particu- 
larly when outside pressure decreases during 
air transportation. Screw-cap tubes are ac- 
ceptable for agar or similar cultures. 
f. Bottles or tubes for specimens should be of 
hard glass and of 2 ml. or larger capacity. 
g. Screw caps should have a resilient, sealing 
gasket or insert and should be secured by 
tape. 
h. When screw-capped jars are used for ship- 
ping larger specimens, the resilient cap lining 
should achieve airtight and fluid-tight clos- 
ure, and the cork or cap should be secured 
in place with a metal collar or adhesive tape. 
Gas-forming cultures of yeast are an excep- 
tion to this rule. 
i. Regular #3 household cans or pressure- 
sealed paint cans are useful for shipment of 
bottles or multiple specimens. Household 
cans should be sealed by roll crimping the 
lid with a home-canning device. Pressure- 
sealed paint cans have the advantage of not 
requiring a crimping device. The large sized 
paint cans are practical for large quantity 
shipments and may be used as outer con- 
tainers, as required by the Convention of the 
Universal Postal Union. 
5. Shipment of Specimens. 
a. Mark shipments with “Perishable,” “Packed 
in Dry Ice,” “Refrigerated Biologic Ma- 
terial,” “Fragile,” or some other suitable 
designation. Standard labels should be used 
if available. 
b. For long distances, ship all specimens by 
air mail or air express. Air freight should not 
be used when speed is essential. If possible, 
assure that the shipment is given priority 
over nonperishable items. 
c. Specimens submitted to the laboratory 
should be accompanied by an appropriate 
report form giving name and age of patient, 
source of specimen, disease suspected, brief 
statement of clinical symptoms, and, in the 
case of cultures, tentative identication. 
d. Delay may be avoided by addressing ship- 
ments to the laboratory unit involved; for 
example, “Virus Reference Unit,” “Enteric 
Bacteriology Unit,” “Venereal Disease Re- 
search Laboratory,” etc. 
e. Shipment of specimens should be timed so 
that they will not arrive at the laboratory on 
or just before a weekend or holiday; this 
will help avoid possible deterioration. 
f. In some localities, surface mail, bus or rail- 
way express may be faster than air transport; 
but, in any case, the most rapid method 
should be used. 
6. Criminal Statute (18 USC 1716) Pertaining to 
Shippers of Diagnostic Materials. This statute 
is of interest to all shippers of diagnostic ma- 
terials whether the materials are potentially 
pathogenic or not. Even if spillage occurs from 
non-pathogenic materials but injures or dam- 
ages mail, equipment, or personnel, the shipper 
may face prosecution even though there is no 
question of hazard from an infectious agent. 
The value of meticulous packaging, with suffi- 
cient absorbent material around the specimen to 
prevent fluid leakage, extends well beyond the 
major concern of preventing accidental infec- 
tion. 
BACTERIOLOGICAL, MYCOLOGICAL, 
AND PARASITOLOGICAL SPECIMENS 
For the purpose of this manual, the significant differ- 
ence between primary specimens and cultured bac- 
teria and fungi is that primary specimens are usually 
shipped intrastate only, whereas most shipments to 
NCDC or other out-of-State reference laboratories 
consist of pure cultures. The same general rules and 
principles covering handling and shipment of pure 
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