BOSTON, MA - October 16, 2001 -- With America reeling under the threat of Anthrax and other spore forming bacteria, Consolidated Machine Corporation may have discovered a way to ease the nation’s fears.

The small Boston company which builds steam sterilizers for hospitals, research laboratories and medical facilities in more than 60 countries around the world, have confirmed their machines are capable of killing spore forming bacteria, such as Anthrax, present in mail. The key to this system is the combination of an old technology, steam sterilization, and a new technology, Consolidated’s “Bug Buster” filtration device (patented).

“We’ve been making water stills and sterilizers in our little factory here for more than fifty years”, said William Barnstead who founded his company in 1946 when he came home after serving in World War II. “We’re not the biggest but I think we make the best machines you can buy.”

After reading the weekend’s news accounts of the anthrax scare, Mr.Barnstead and his Director of Research and Development, Arthur Trapotsis met on Monday morning (October 15) to see if they could use their experience to find a way to help out.

“We took our mail and contaminated it with a spore forming bacteria just like anthrax. Then we ran it through one of our sterilizers. The moist heat destroyed the bacteria and the ‘Bug Buster’ filter prevented the spores from escaping the sterilization vessel into the surrounding room. The mail was completely clean. We were thrilled. We think this system can be the answer for companies and government agencies who are concerned about anthrax”, Mr. Trapotsis said.

“People don’t necessarily need to be worried about their mail. All they have to do is run their mail through one of these sterilizing machines every morning, just as hospitals run their medical instruments through everyday. These machines are very efficient and they will make all mail and packages free of bacteria”, said Mr. Trapotsis.

While the FBI announced yesterday that they had received more than 2000 reports of anthrax since October 1, Mr. Barnstead said there is no reason to panic. “Good old American Know-How can solve this or just about any problem”, he said. “If we stay calm and think our way through, we can work out anything.”