A Stitch in Time

This is an especially interesting treatment as the goal was actually to retain the visible staining while addressing the inherent vice of the staining.​​

​

The object is a cotton nurse's uniform from 1936 which is in the collection of Yale New Haven Hospital.  It was the wish of the client that the staining remain visible as it is part of the history of the garment; but blood is comprised of hemoglobin, albuminous matter, sebum and metallic salts.  It stains so readily because the iron content acts as a mordant, binding the red blood cells to the fabric, while also oxidizing to form iron oxide, or rust.  These compounds, along with the abrasiveness of the metal salts, deteriorate the cotton fabric over time. 

 

This is what was happening - the areas which were stained by blood had weakened and were deteriorating, in some areas the cotton had been completely eaten away causing many small holes.

​

A second problem was the amount of starch the garment had been treated with.  It was starched to the point that it had become sharp and abrasive to itself.  Areas where different parts of the apron rub had been sliced by the abrasion, while crisp edges and hems had been scraped away.  Creases were adhered into the fabric at such sharp turns that they were causing damage to the fibers, some of which were already beginning to break under the stress.  Aside from these issues, starch also crosslinks as it breaks down, causing the yellow-brown discoloration visible on the apron.  As starch deteriorates, it also releases acidic products of degradation which break down the cellulosic cotton fibers over time.

​

In order to address these issues, the garment was treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to chelate the metal ions out of the blood stains, negating the risk of further deterioration from the destructive components of the blood, while leaving the visible record of the staining intact.

​

The apron was also wet cleaned in slightly warmed water to flush the accumulated acidic byproducts of cellulosic aging from both the cotton in the apron and the starch that had been applied to it.  A surfactant was used to assist in the removal of as much of the starch, and its byproducts of breakdown, as possible.

​

Once the apron had been cleaned, the areas of loss were stabilized using stitch supports.​