The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-23
PROPERTIES OF RADIUM.
New Metal Not Likely to BE of Com
mercial Use.
New York Commercial.

New York Commercial.
A metal so rare as to cost e4o0 per pound.
SO radiant that its effulgence VIII destroy
the sight, and so corrosive that small
speck of ii placed upon the hand would
shrivel the skin, is the new metal known
as radium.
woman named Currie, devoted much atten-
ton to the study of radiant matter. After
their discovery of the remarkable radiatory
properties of uranium they noted that the
SELF Bohemian "Pitchblende'' and two
other compounds of uranium suggested to
them by their radiant powers that some
than uranium, and after elaborate and
exhaustive experiments they discovered
metal identical with bismuth in its chem
ical characteristics which they named
''polonium," after their native country,
Poland. Further investigation resulted in
the discovery of another new metal very
similar to barium in its chemical proper
still greater powers of radiancy. Although
scientists are busily engaged in testing the
new metal 1t has not yet been fully demon
strated that uranium, polonium and radium
are actually new elements, as none has
yet been secured in pure state.
A prominent mineralogist, who is much
a Westminster Gazette representative some
information, on condition that his identity
should not be divulged.
'Radium is found in very small guam
titles" he said. lin scattered places in
England and on the Continent. 1t is so
rare and so difficult to extract that Ii is
extremely costly. have about gramme
In this small glass tube which is worth
60. A kilo of the metal would require the
treatment of 5000 tons of uranium for its
production. and at present the market price
from other metals, such as barium and cal
cium, as ii does not require exposure TO
become incandescent- 1t will glow for
months, and even years, and has also the
property Of causing other substances near
it to give off light, and to retain their radio
activity, as we call it, for a long period.
Its rays will color glass, porcelain and
white paper"
HAS it any possibilities for photo
graphic work."
AT present the rays produce no effect
upon Daguerre plates or upon photograph
paper; but in France good deal of atten-
ton has been devoted to the Photographic
side of the question: and some experiments
have been conducted-with what success
have not heard"
'It is reported that radium is hardly an
article of domestic handling
That is so. A very small piece OF 1t
palced upon your arm would soon raise a
blister. One experimenter in Paris put
the small tube containing an almost in
fnitesimal piece of radium into wooden
box and then into his vest pocket. After
an hour or two he felt a burning sensa-
ten, and on examination found red mark
on his skin of the same shape and size as
the tube. The mark developed into an
abscess, which took six weeks to heal,
and which left a permanent scar"
1T might be found useful in killing Off
microbes"
ut has been experimental with In that
objection, and 1t has been found to kill
microbes after three hours exposure. 1t
has quite remarkable radiatory properties.
Prof. Currie, the discoverer, has said he
would not care to trust himself in a room
with kilo of pure radium, as 1t would
doubtless !, destroy his sight. burn m, all l., the
'You don't anticipate any great COM
mercial use of 1t. then?'
mo. 1t will always be too rare. Dur
ing the past three years only 500 and 600
grammes of radium have been manufac-
tured, and radium metal does not ex-
list. Practically all that has so far pro-
duced has been the chloride Of radium in
association with barium."