Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-12-10
RADiUM CARNATIONS.
Brought Into Contact With Dia-
rnouAs They Clarity the Gems.


monds, They Clarity the Gems.
The universal interest awakened by
recent experiments with that wonder
full new property of matter, radio &C
tivity, has served to make the world
of readers generally aware Of the fact
that diamonds phosphoresce brilliantly
In the dark when exposed to the ema-
nations from radium. Indeed 1t has
been suggested that this property Of
fers a sure and ready means of detect
ing fraudulent stones. But Sir William
! Crookes has Just discovered that radi-
um produces another effect upon dia-
monds which Is still more remarkable
and possibly Of more commercial I'M
portance. 1t appears to be able to cure
the defect of "off color" stones by
changing their Objectionable yellowish
hue to the desirable pale blue or blue
green tint characteristic Of first water
gems.
Sir William took two yellowish dia-
monds, closely matched in color and
quality, and placed one Of them inside
a tube containing radium bromide,
keeping II there continuously for pc
Rod Of seventy eight days. In the
meantime the other stone was kept In
a drawer carefully placed at safe
distance from all radium and other
radio active substances. At the end OF
the time mentioned the two diamonds
were compared, and it was found that
the one which had been subjected to
the action of the radium emanations
had been deprived completely OF Its
yellowish color, but at the same time
its surface had been considerably dark
ened with deposit Of graphite. After
being heated, however, for ten days In
a mixture of strong nitric acid and po-
tnssi,Im chlorate the dull film disap'
peared. and the stone appeared per-
fectly transparent and sparkling with
q beautiful blue green tinge.
The explanation seems to be that the
state of continual vibration In which
the diamond was kept by the lombard
ment Of the radium emanations for 30
many days produced an internal
change, resulting in an alteration OF
the color of the stone. Thus the effect
Of the carnations, as the experimentei
suggests, may be to cause chemical
as well as a physical change, and he
adds that II the yellowish hue ID due
to the presence In the diamond OF iron
In the "ferric" state reduction to the
ferrous" state would quite account
for the change Of color. 1t may be said
BY way Of explanation that iron in the
ferric state shows a yellowish or red
dish color and in the ferrous state
greenish or blush color.
This discovery Is one Of the most In
teresting as we'll as most unexpected
that have yet been made concerning thu
effects Of the radium smanations. Tit
investigating chemist interested princi
pally In the purely scientific aspects o.
the phenomenon Is not likely to care
very much about the possible RESULT
on the diamond market, but possessori
of of color stones may comfort them
selves with the thought that science
has possibly found a way to increase
the value as we'll as the beauty OF thel
Jewels, although In the present state o.
the matter it would perhaps cost NOR
to "cure" cheap stone by course O
radium treatment than to exchange
for a better one.-Garrett P. Serviss II
Success Magazine.