In the past, even documents traveling by post, if they came from a place where an epidemic was in progress, had to be disinfected before moving to the countries they were headed to. Like the picture documents. It is a letter, dated 1778, from the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in Istanbul. The letter underwent the practice of disinfection by fumigation. This is clearly seen in the superscription. Look at the color. It is latte because the paper has been exposed to fire. The clear mark imprinted on the document, on the other hand, is the mark of the gripper used to hold the document during disinfection. Fumigation was not the only practice used for the disinfection of postal documents. There was also disinfection through the vapors of vinegar or with perfumes, or through the vapors of medicinal herbs.
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Title:Letter from the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies