The disinfected mail is the mail or postal item disinfected or fumigated by Postal Authorities to prevent the spread of epidemics via letters from infected area. It is customary that Disinfection Marking is applied on the item to mark the disinfection process. The postal articles sent from Burma are hardly seen with disinfected marking. The following postcard was sent from Burma to Malta, apparently with Disinfection marking.
The 1A international postcard was sent from Fort Stedman by a British soldier on 4 Jan 1898, addressed to Malta. Fort Stedman is the British Headquarters for the Southern Shan states of Burma. The location is currently known as Maing Thauk, on the bank of Inle lake in Nyaung Shwe township. The postcard was transited Rangoon on 8 Jan 1898, Sea Post Office Aden on 15 Jan 1898.
It finally arrived to Malta and was fumigated upon arrival because of the outbreak of the pestilence (Plague) in India. The double oval "Disinfected, Lazaretto Malta, 20 Jan 98" marking was applied. The Lazzaretto is a former quarantine facility and hospital on Manoel Island in Gżira, Malta. The Malta postmark is dated 30 Jan 1898. As the result of the fumigation process, the card has some stains, but still a lovely postal history item in my collection.
The study about the quarantine and postal disinfection against this particular plague were documented by V.Denis Vandervelde. The page related is shown below.
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