The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-08
HERE IS RADIUM ON VIEW.
AND 1T REALLY DOESN'T LOOK
80 VERY WONDERFUL.
just . Pinch oS Iealewish Powder In an
Alright GLASS Tube-But There Never
We're Snch Crowds at the Natural
Hlsts cry Museum ~ Went 70 Look q u.

AEttght Glass Tube-bue Inere NcNer
We're snch Crowds at the Natural
History Museum ~ Went To Look q IL.
The American Museum OF Natural History
had one OF the very biggest crowds in its
history yesterday. and ninety whine out OF
every hundred folks there went to zee a
tiny pinch of what looked for all the world
like an ordinary yellowish powder
All day long crowds swarmed, pushed
and elbowed their way to this little bit Of
powder. They let loose a Calling gun fire
OF questions at the man who stood guard
over it, until his eyes wore haunted look.
But he answered. and everybody, or nearly
everybody went away satisfied.
The substance that looked like powder
was the first specimen Of radium, the newly
discovered and owerful-rayed element, to
be placed on public exhibition in New York
and the power Of thls specimen il second
to that Of no other in the country. In
scientific terms its radio-activity is 100000.
The radium was presented to the museum
. few days ago by Edward ID. Adams.
George F. Kunz, the gem expert, and DIR.
Charles Baskerville of the University Of
North Carolina have been experimenting
with 1t and the museum people will con-
tinue the experiments.
The specimen weighs just about two
grains 1t is in little alright glass tube
about an inch long. which lies in bed Of
cotton in little pasteboard box. The
radium and a specimen of pitchblende,
the mineral from which it is extracted,
were guarded from careless hands by a
big glass globe.
The exhibition was in the gem room on
the fourth floor Of tho building The first
thing that SUN reporter heard when he
entered yesterday afternoon was this ques-
ton, put by Gu elderly man to an attendant
at the door:
will you please tell me where thLt rsalum
Is? That's what / came to Sec
The elderly man couldn't get theirs quick
enough. and he didn't seem bit disap-
pointed at what he saw.
so this is radium?" he asked the man
who stood beside the globe contai lining the
centre Of attraction. We'll, isn't this a
stance known and the greatest discovery
for oenturies-that's right, isn't it?'
1T certainly is" said this man at the
globe-for the hundredth time at least.
is it dangerous for me TO go near it?r
asked the elderly man, taking his hat off
and putting his bald head against the
globe.
The man at the globe explained that
one had to get fairly close to be burned,
and that the exposure must last several
minutes. anyway. unless the radium was
Of tremendous power.
And you get burned without knowing
it?" continued the elderly man.
He was interrupted by d young woman
who sheepishly put her diamond ring as
near the tube as she could. Then she
blushed
"The radium rays affect the diamond, 4"
said the attendant, but you can't see the
effect in the light. In dark roomit would
be very noticeable. You have no reason
for thinking your diamond isn't real
why doesn't the radiurn shne?" asked
a woman who looked like q veteran school
ma am. 4 thought its rays were very
powerful
1T does shine said the attendant, but
you can't see it III the light However,
the rays are at work, whether you see them
or not
"They say radium is the most valuable
thing on earth. said a trolley GER conductor