APPENDIX I 
Postal Requirements for Shipping Diseased Tissues 
and Other Specimens 
(Extracts from Parts 124, 125, and 221, United 
States Postal Manual) 
PART 124 
NONMAILABLE MATTER 
124.1 INTRODUCTION 
.11 description. Nonmailable matter includes all 
matter which is by law, regulation, or treaty stipula- 
tion prohibited from being sent in the mail or which 
cannot be forwarded to its destination because of 
illegible, incorrect, or insufficient address. 
.12 applicability. The harmful or objectionable 
things identified or described in this part are some 
of the matter which may not be sent through the mail, 
as a matter of absolute prohibition. See part 125 
for matter mailable only under special rules or con- 
ditions. Notwithstanding any statement contained 
in part 124, which covers only some of the items 
prohibited in the mail, the burden rests with the 
mailer to assure that he has complied with the law. 
In addition to the nonmailable items mentioned in 
this part, certain other articles are prohibited in the 
mail to military post offices overseas (part 127). 
.13 penalties for violation. Severe penalties, by 
fine or imprisonment, or both, are provided for per- 
sons who knowingly mail or cause to be mailed, any 
matter which has been declared nonmailable under 
law. 
.14 NONCONFORMITY WITH POSTAL REGULATIONS. 
Regardless of its nature, matter may not be mailed in 
any form if done in violation of postal regulations 
for such reasons as failure to pay postage, improper 
size or weight, improper permits, improper addresses, 
etc. 
.15 responsibility of mailer. When mailers 
are in doubt as to whether any matter is properly 
mailable, they should ask the postmaster. Even 
though the Post Office Department has not expressly 
declared any matter to be nonmailable, the mailer 
of such matter may be held fully liable for violation 
of law if he does actually send nonmailable matter 
through the mail. 
124.2 HARMFUL MATTER 
.21 GENERAL PROVISIONS OF LAW 
Any articles, compositions, or materials, which 
may kill or injure another, or injure the mail or other 
property, are nonmailable. This includes but is not 
limited to: 
a. All kinds of poison or matter containing poison. 
b. All poisonous animals, except scorpions (see 
125.35), all poisonous insects, all poisonous rep- 
tiles, and all kinds of snakes. 
c. All disease germs or scabs. 
d. All explosives, flammable material, infernal ma- 
chines, and mechanical, chemical, or other de- 
vices or compositions which may ignite or ex- 
plode. 
>fc % 
PART 125 
MATTER MAILABLE UNDER SPECIAL 
RULES 
125.1 LEGAL RESTRICTIONS 
.11 HARMFUL MATTER 
.111 Certain items barred from the mail, as set 
forth in part 124, may be mailed if prepared and 
packaged in accordance with this part. These are 
items not outwardly or of their own force dangerous 
or injurious to life, health, or property. 
.112 This part covers generally some of the more 
common situations; however, the burden rests with 
the mailer to assure that he has complied with the 
law and that anything shipped by him has been prop- 
erly prepared and packaged. The ordinary test of 
adequate preparation and packaging is whether the 
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