Newby Needs Help

[Rhiannon]

First problem.
My husband got 4 orchids from his sister. Who got them from their grandmother's house when she died. This was a 3 or 4 years ago. His sister got them 6 or 7 years before. My SIL thinks that that their grandmother got these plants sometime around late '60's or the '70's.
1 died of neglect. Second died from being potted in soil and from too much attention. We were able to save the last 2.
I did figure out that they're Miltonians. But we don't know which ones. They've never bloomed. Not in the whole time my SIL had them. Not since we've had them. My husband thinks that he remembers that they might be white in color. But his grandmothers yard was a veritable jungle, so he could be thinking of another plant.

Second problem.
I rescued a Golden Elf (cym) from the local garden center. I've given 2 kinds of orchid food. While I was watering it. Ants came out. I think that I got them before they could settle a nest.
The stem where the flower was is as dry as a stick. (That's why I wanted to rescue it.) And 3 or 4 of the roots that are out have a black and dry look to them.

Any suggestions?
Thank you for any help you can give.