In a message dated 4/27/2006 10:56:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:
As f'rinstance at Lucy The Margate Elephant, restored and air conditioned 20 
or 30 years ago by a highly-regarded histo presto firm.  Subsequent evaluation 
10 or 20 years later found all manner of deterioration and moisture problems 
as bad as, if not worse than (as I remember) the pre-restoration conditions.
in italian renaissance they used manure to keep mortar from drying too 
quickly.  but using manure was illegal in florence, so when brunelleschi did the 
duomo-dome they had to ... had to ...    well i forget what they had to do, but 
they couldn't use manure.  talk about off-gassing. 

c

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