The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-10
AN ALCHEMlST'S LAMP
uEM.RKABLE EXPERIMENTS BY
WASHINGTON SCIENTISTS.
newiy Discovered Mineral Which
Emit. PerpetuaI Light without
Heat, and Has x-Ray Power.

~ 1OANs LNO~
chemists dream Of a magic lamp which
never goes out viii shortly be realized is
indicated by some remarkable experiments
lately made by Washington scientists
Some months ago Secretary Langley, OF
the Smithsonian. received from Europe a
mysterious little box. which he took to the
darkroom of his astro-physical ooserVa-
tory and there opened in the presence OF
several sayants invited to inspect the val
liable contents. The removal Of the lid re-
vesled two small cylinders CT strawboard
aglow from what appeared TO be fire, MD
den within. Inside these wrappings were
discovered two Theoretically sealed phials-
about the size of your little fnger-from
which issued an increasing greenish-white
light, which gave the surrounding packing
a peculiar glow. like that from X-rays.
These pitfalls had remained hidden from
light at least two months before they had
been opened. Brought to the light, one was
seen TO contain a white, starch-like powder
finely pulverized; the other a similar sub
stance, broken up into little cubes about a
tenth of an inch in dimension. Returned
20 the darkness. both bottles continued TO
glow sufficiently bright for a page, held
near by, TO be easily read thereby. Yet the
glass Of the containing bottles was cold.
Asked what the mysterious phials con-
tanned, the admiring scientists explained
that the precious substance was 'radium,'
a mineral lately discovered by Nine. Sklo-
dowska Curie, a Polish chemist studying in
Paris. Mime. Curie found radium to be
contained, as a supposed impurity, In the
salts OF another mineral known as ura-
mum. chemist have thrown 1t away for
years, never dreaming that it was des-
tined 20 become one OF the most valuable
minerals known to science
PRODUCES PERPETUAL X-RAYS.
Radium, with its mysterious source CT
Hight, emits two distinct sets Of rays; one
like those of ordinary daylight; the other
like x-rays. Just as she stored in the lode
stone all the complicated mechanism of the
electro-magnet, Mother Nature has COM
pacted into this earth-born material a raw
substitute for the intricate Crookes tube
and its inquisitive flame.
Mr.. T. w. Smillie, in charge of the Smith
s~onian's Photographic department, was
given for examination the two phials OF
radium, each containing about a dram of
the powder. He took them to his dark
room and there made a series Of interest
ing experiments Herewith. He first placed
one of the glowing phiais in front of a
covered plate holder, such as used in an
ordinary camera. Inside the holder was a
sensitive plate, just as used for making
photographs. The slide covering the plate
was drawn out a half inch at a time, at
Intervals OF a minute, for five minutes.
When the plate was developed 1t showed
five stripes of different colors, proving that
the stripes Of exposed plate subjected long
est TO the light had been most effected
thereby and vice versa. Thus was proven
that the radium light has the effect of sun
light upon a Photographic negative.
That -adium has X-ray overs was next
correlated by placing one of the little
tubes two and a half inches from a plate
holder, whose closed slide was covered by
X-ray-proof tinfoil cut in an openwork de-
sign. After an hours exposure, during all
OF which time the slide of the holder had
remained closed. the plate was taken out.
When developed, il distinctly showed the
outlines of the tinfoil. which had been pho
~tographed through the cover of the plate
holder. Then the X-ray negative was
printed Upon the paper used. in this
operation was seen the tinfoil in black;
the openings cut In il. in white, just as in a
usual x-ray print. Had Mr.. Smillie mad
sufficient radium he could have made an
X-ray print showing the bones of his hand,
and similar effects customarily produced
with the Crookes tube and electric cur
rent.
To prove that radium has the SUMS power
OF printing photographs, the experimenter
next took one OF these minute tubes and
with its light made a number Of sharp
prints. from ordinary negatives, upon bro
mide paper. Had he had an ounce, rather
than a dram of the powder he could have
directly photographed faces or objects in
its surrounding light.
costs $1,000 AN OUNCE
Radium costs no less than $1,000 an ounce.
It's great expense is due TO it's present
scarcity. As soon as chemists learn how
TO extract 1t readily it viii grow much
cheaper Moreover. only a small percent
age OF 1t contains the mysterious luminous
element When the raw material can be
more cheaply obtained and more complete
ly concentrated 1t will certainly become a
mnch-sought commercial article. Geolo-
gIsts will meanwhile locate the earth's de-
posits OF uranium. the crude material from
which radium is extracted. IL can prob
ably he found in sufficient quantities 10
supply any reasonable demand. A half ton
OF the residues OF uranium minerals now
produces only a little more than two
pounds Of the radiant powder. But this
less is due TO the fact that no one yet
knows how to extract radium economically
Radiunl will r~evolutionize all lighting
methods when cheaply produced. If a mere
draehm Of the crude powder will show sucn
power as Mr.. Smile observed, a hundred
pounds of the refined materials will doubt
less work marvels. Mr.. Smile
that a half pound OF the powder will light
an ordinary room This it viii do if thinly
spread out. It's visible light. radiates only
from the particles upon the outer surface
OF powder stored In glass vessels. The
radiance of those within is therefore prac-
tically wasted when the powder is packed
In an ordinary bottle.
Like a magnet. radium retains its energy
Indefinitely. 1t viii give on light for years
without showing any loss. II appears i'm
possible for IL TO lose it's Intensity. Some
chemists think that its rays are infnitessi-
NAL particles thrown of by the mineral.
II so. the strongest radiation would require
probably millions of years TO remove one
nsl1fcram NJ tho Suhsfanca This eeffnoaf -