Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-07
POWERS OF RADIUM
STUFF FOUND IN
PITChDAENDE IN SAXoNY.
It's Great Rarity-Not an Ounce in
Possession Of Mankind-1ts
Physical Properties.

What is all this about radium? What Is
radium? Where does it come from? What
is the use of it? These are questions which
have been frequently asked during the last
two or three weeks. and have sometimes
been answered in very odd ways. To be-
gin with, radium is not found in pitch.
though that origin has been assigned to it
in print. and a cutting has been produced
from more than one pocket book to confute
the rash skeptic. 1t is obtained from
mineral called pitchblende, which really
differs rather widely from pitch in its phys
ical properties. Pitchblende is ore
found in Saxony, and containing iron, bari
UNI, uranium and other metals.
Along with these are very small quaint
ties of radium, the extraction OF which Is
a very laborious and costly business. Look
ing for q needle in a hayStack is probably
a more exhilarating occupation than look
ing for a few mtlligrammes Of radium In
truck load of pitchblende. Naturally the
stuff is rather dear. Anybody who can get
a supply fairly pure at ten shillings per mil
ligramme would not hurt himself much by
at somewhere near a35 per grain. or. say.
roughly, E15,OOO per ounce; but, as there
is not an ounce in the market the quota
we never know what may happen: Some
body may dig into store OF radhm less
horribly entangled in masses OF refractory
ore. But for reasons too reconcile to be
tremely improbable.
Causes Things to Shine.
The stuff makes amends for the smallness
of it's amount by it's remarkable properties
A little of 1t goes a very long way. There
are some bodies that can be stimulated by
light or otherwise in such a manner that
they afterward shine in the dark. Radlum
brought near to these bodies causes them
to shine. mere fraction of a grain In So
luton poured from one vessei 10 anot ~ er
leaves on them enough of itself, even a1ter
they are washed in the usual way, 10 give
them temporarily the power of causing TINS IS
light effect upon a sensitive screen: II rs
like grain of musk making everything IN
a wardrobe smell of musk though there mas
been no material contact. Something must
pass from the radium to the SENSITIVE pooy,
and the puzzle just now is as to the nature
Does radium Shoot off infinitely minute
particles of itself to produce Its enects'
What explains such suicidal conduct, "nch,
going on through geological time, mlgnt
exnIain why SO little radium Is left? or
does it do something to the other. whicn
in turn does something to the SENSITIVE
screen? Again, why does 1t go on oolls
this, when apparently nothing Is pelng oolis
Of theories bnt in reality nobody knows;
This is not the worst, however. NJ ana
Nine. Curie, two distinguished French
investigators have recently announced tnal
radium emits heat. steadily and constantly:
They have measured the amount anu Aiio ~
quite considerable.
Heat In Radtum.
Charity begins at home, and radium does
not forget to keep itself warm. 1t IS SAID
to be always between two and three oe-
Rrees hotter than the other things IN lts
vicinity, whereas every well-conducted SUD-
stance comes to the same temperature as
its surroundings. This paradoxical Pc
havior calls urgently for explanation, out
as yet none is forthcoming. There are
cynics who recall the story Of King Charles
and the Royal Society. Before explaining
why radium is hot, they would like fur-
Their assurance that it is hot. On the other
side 1t is pointed out that NJ. Curie has
great reputation at stake, and that the
incredible nature of his announcement must
have been fully realized by himself ana
must have made him doubiy ana treoly
careful to verify his results In every pos
sible way. He is coming over here to lee
ture at the Royal Institute in June, so we
NAV then hear more about his methoos
and proofs, if the full light of truth Is not
meanwhile turned on by native 1nQulrers.
A Flash Of Light.
Radium has yet other properties which
are also remarkable, though they chiefly
concern the psychologist. Hold tube con-
tanning a few millgrammes near mans
temple and he will get the sensation OF a
flash Of light. Most of US have seen stars at
school under the stimulus of sharp tap
on the nose, and radium produces much the
same effect without violence. II kept Tor
a few hours near the skin tube of radium
raises blister and produces sore, which,
however, does not go very deep. Ihls enect
takes place through ones clothes, therefore
radium Is not recommended as a pocket
companion. Applied to the nerve centers.
1t produces paralyZing effects sufficient to
kill small creatures whose centers are near
the surface and therefore not well pro-
tected.
The psychologists find that it kills some
of their pets. All these things it does
through glass. for nobody can afford to
hand it about loose. We would unwillingly
credit it with the diabolical power of shoot
ing it's own particles through glass, but the
alternative is that it sends forth subtle but
potent emanations Of some other kind. They
somewhat resemble Rontgen rays, but the
difference is that we make these rays by
considerable expenditure Of power, while
this stuff pumps influence out of itself with
out any visible means Of support or re-
newal.
Utility Of Radium.
1t is asked. what is the use of all this?
One can only answer more Scottico. What
is the use of a baby? AS baby it is not of
any use: in fact it is a nuisance. But it will
grow into a man. who is Of use. In the
same way it is not easy to say that radlum
is at present of any use from the strictly
practical standpoint. 1t might, perhaps. be
used homeopathically for the cure Of pho
topsia, which, as we have just seen, 1t
causes. If we had plenty of 1t, we might
paint London with calcium sulphide, put
radium in the street lamps. and get a mild
moonlight everywhere, while saving on gas
and electricity. But people careful of their
compilations might object to it's effect upon
the cuticle No. 1t cannot be said at pres
ent to be of extensive practical utility. But
1t is only a baby. and in developing our
knowledge of 1t we are very likely to hit
upon something useful, or upon something,
that just gives the hint required to make
other MEGA of knox,ladfa f11l