In 1948 the Department of Antiquities of the Fitzwilliam Museum suffered a severe 'outbreak' of bronze disease. The problem engaged the interest and enthusiasm of the corrosion scientist Ulick Evans of the University Department of Metallurgy to who then worked closely with the Fitzwilliam evolve a method of stabilising the affected objects. Correspondence and other related material in the archives of the Museum is used to narrate the course of Evans' investigations and the development of his so-called 'zinc nib' treatment. This was a localised electrolytic technique which was employed in the Museum probably until about 1980. The technique has been largely ignored in the literature and seems not to have been used anywhere else. Reasons for this are considered.