Unpublished translation, 'A memoir on the disinfection of letters' by Bernardino Antonio Gomes Translation of a paper originally written in French in which Gomes discusses the yellow fever or 'plague' epidemic and ways of disinfecting letters received from countries in which the disease is prevalent. Gomes proposes making slits in letters and then fumigating their contents or soaking them in vinegar without fully opening the letter. He ultimately deduces that the best way to disinfect letters is through the combustion of sulphur with saltpetre [potassium nitrate]. The original French version of this paper is found at AP/2/8. Numerous corrections, deletions, and marginalia appear throughout in graphite. Subject: Chemistry / Epidemiology Written by Gomes in Lisbon. Communicated by John Barrow. 20 April 1814