New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27

not supported by absolute scientific demonstra-
ton. In reply to my question whether efforts
were being made to procure radium in larger
quantities than heretofore" Nine Curie replied
that the Austrian government was taking pos
session of the pitchblende deposits in Bohemia,
which were by no means inexhaustible, and the
result of this would be that the future cost OF
obtaining radum would be very much greater
than hitherto-perhaps twice as much" This
would put the price of radium at $6O.OO0,OOO a
kilogram. The fact is of great Importance in
connection with the statement made to me last
spring by Professor Curie. who said that the
probability of extracting radium under favorable
conditions from the pitchbende deposits in Col
oradO most promising.
l asked Nine. Curie what experiments just
now going on in Paris of the greatest in
terest The emphatic reply was: by all means
those conducted at the Pasteur Institute by Nj.
]. Danysz who is investigating the pathogenic
action of rays and carnations emitted by
radium upon various animal tissues and sub
Stances
AT the Pasteur Institute, in the Rue Duthot,
found NJ. Danysz hard at work in his labora-
tory. NJ. Danysz is Polish scientist, and has
for the last few years assisted Professor Curle
in many of his experiments with radium. Pro-
fessor Curie supplied NJ. Danysz with fifty
nilligrams of radium in the bromure form, and
is Win Quantity u LISteil tAAe1I IIiC
Investigations at the Pasteur Institute are being
proceeded with. NJ. Danysz is wiry little maa
of highly strung, nervous temperament. His
dark. dreamy eyes have that searching brill
| fancy peculiar to abstruse scientists. He is al
| interchangeable worker, and derives frequent IN
| SEPARATIONS during his laboratory experiments
| from fragrant cigarettes containing the purest
| Russian tobacco. On the table he had q large
| glass jar half filed with soft, powdered sea-
| weed. containing a dozen mice of different
Sizes varying from two months to two years in
| age. The animals and insects subjected to the
radium rays and emanations by NJ Danysz
| comprise rabbits. guinea pigs. caterpillars and
| butterflies. Tests have also been made with
| microbes of Charlton.
| M Danysz stated that 1.-The nervous centres
| of the animals or insects were extremely sem
sitive to the effect of the radum rays or emana-
| tons. The intestinal organs were, on the con-
| trary only slightly sensitive to the effects OF
| radium." 1t will be recollected that the effect
| of radium upon the skin was first noticed By
| Professor Curie during his earliest experiments
| with the metal. NJ Curie. morning after
| delivering a lecture put glass tube contain
| ing fifty milligrams of radium in his waistcoat
| pocket. No particular sensation was felt at
| the time, but a fortnight afterward his skin
| at the point corresponding with the waistcoat
| pocket became highly nfamed and painful The
| wound broadened and deepened ana could not
be cured in less than five months. 1t was this
| incident that suggested the epidermic expert
| ments with animals and insects 1t was then
| discovered that the action of radium on tina
| nervous centres produced paralysis or death. ac-
| corting to the particular organism and depend
ing upon the length of exposure to the rays or
| emanations remarkable characteristic OF
| the action OF raiium upon animals and insects
| is the period of incubation-twenty days IN case
| of human beings-which has not yet been salts
| factorily explained by scientific research, and
| which furnishes still another mystery to those
| for which radlum is already responsible. fltty
| milligrams of radum in a glass tube placed
| for twenty-four hours in contact with the SKIN
of a guinea pig causes the complete destruction
! of the epldermis and of the dermis. The skin
| was niarced with holes. and the tissue prc;ruded
| I'm hernia form NJ Danysz stated that tia