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General Boards => Museum Submarine Discussion => Topic started by: pekelney on November 25, 2013, 10:43:50 PM

Title: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: pekelney on November 25, 2013, 10:43:50 PM
Folks,

So what do you think goes in the "Biologicals Locker", see attachment, or page 16 of
http://maritime.org/tech/drawings/misc-lockers-standards_ss-s3000-984074_32429_05_0425.pdf

1 foot x 1 foot x 2 foot with lots of 3/4" holes in the cool room, with a lock?

Yeast?  Except dried yeast was developed during the war and replaced live yeast.
Why the lock?
What else could it be?

rich
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: Darrin on November 26, 2013, 04:44:27 PM
Rich,

It maybe a Bio hazzard locker, that is all that I can come up with.

Darrin
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: pekelney on November 26, 2013, 05:45:27 PM
Why store them?  I think you are talking about removed bandages and the like.  These would have gone overboard with the trash.

Before someone else asks, US submarines never carried any kind of bio weapons.

Where there some medications that needed refrigeration in use on the submarines?  They had the equivalent of a Paramedic on board.  They would not have had blood products, but something else?

rich
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: Jim on November 27, 2013, 04:20:12 PM
Live chickens for fresh eggs?  maybe ships mascot? J/K... ;D
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: Darrin on November 27, 2013, 05:18:03 PM
Rich,

I honestly have no clue as to what the locker was used for, maybe Paul F has an idea.. Will ask him this weekend while I am onboard COD

Fresh shrimp anyone???  :2funny:

Darrin
Title: yeast and/or penicillin
Post by: pekelney on December 01, 2013, 01:18:31 PM
This is a response from a friend of mine that is PHD Biochemist that works in the production of modern pharma.

"I would say it is a safe to assume the environment of the submarine would not be conducive to the long term storage of either bakers yeast or penicillin.  Both require cool, dry, dark storage conditions.  The penicillin will have been in glass ampule as a lyophilized powder.  They would also have needed to store USP water to mix the penicillin for injection. 

A couple of starter articles:
http://explorepahistory.com/odocument.php?docId=1-4-18C
http://www.lib.niu.edu/2001/iht810139.html

By the way most of the penicillin used during the war was manufactured by Pfizer in Brooklyn, NYC."

rich
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: Darrin on December 03, 2013, 12:40:57 AM
Rich,

I can see where the yeast would be required to be kept in a cool dark locker and NOT marked as a medical locker, however part of me believes the other part regarding penicillin.. and wasn't either (SP?) stored in a cool dark place also and required to be kept under lock and key?
Darrin
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: pekelney on December 03, 2013, 10:28:40 AM
The sterile water was stored in the medical locker in crew's berthing (after battery.)

rich
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: Darrin on December 03, 2013, 10:52:18 PM
Rich,

I was pretty sure about that and I was confirming what I thought I knew.. Thanks my friend

Darrin
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: pekelney on December 04, 2013, 12:55:10 AM
FYI, I found and uploaded a drawing of the medical locker.  I have no idea if any of the details are still in the one on Pampanito.  We did not have this when the boat was donated.  The story I heard was that it was an extra they had at Silversides and they gave it to us.

http://maritime.org/tech/drawings/medical-locker_basic544798_32429-06-0302.jpg

rich
Title: Re: Biologicals Locker?
Post by: pekelney on December 25, 2013, 02:42:09 PM
Paul Farace found these two photos of medical supplies and an open medical locker.  Pretty cool.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0833209.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0833208.jpg