The following post was edited by the moderators due to inclusion of
excessive quotes, etc.:
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> What personal precautions do you take when applying powdered Thymol?
Ken
> Hoare has some horrifying colour slides of eyeballs pitted by Thymol.

I transfer from my bulk supply to a 7lb honey bucket working outdoors
with
the breeze coming from behind me to carry any dust away.  I have safety
glasses for this, but doubt that they are really necessary as there is
very
little dust if you work carefully.  When applying to the hives just a
teaspoonful is removed from the small container and placed in the honey
jar
lid on the excluder.  I have never found that this creates any dust so I
do
not think that there is any danger to eyes.  I wear rubber gloves all of
the
time when beekeeping and these are clean in soda solution after each
hive.

Incidentally, I do have thorough six-monthly eye checks for another
condition (not surface related but everything is checked) so I think
that I
would soon know if there was any problem.

It would be interesting to know more about Ken's slides and exactly how
the
damage was caused.

Peter Edwards
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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