Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-05-10
RADIUM WONDERS.
To Be Shown at Worlds Fair Will In
cIude Century Old Specimens.


eIude Century Old Specimens.
Radium as a wonder worker will be
shown in it's many phases at the st.
Louis Worlds Fair in displays now be-
ing assembled in this city under the
direction Of DR.. George F. Kunz, the
president Of the New York Mineralo-
gists' club.
DR.. Kunz has been appointed
special agent Of the United States
Geological Survey, and he will have
charge of two radium exhibits, one In
the division Of geology and the other
in connection with the work Of the
Department Of Mines.
He is preparing series Of photo
graphs made with the use Of radium
and radio active substances, which a
few decades ago would have proclaim
ed him a thaumaturgist rather than
as matter Of fact man of science.
There is an effect obtained, for in
stance, by means Of the rays Of pitch
blende which for more than a CEN
tuly have been lying exposed to the
light in a museum case. The acttvi-
ties Of that specimen as light giver
demonstrates that such substances do
nor lose their qualities in the course OF
years. From the Royal Museum In
Vienna the doctor has received speci-
mems Of uranite taken from the mines
Of Joachimstal, Bohemia, in the years
1906. 1867. 1912 and 1853, and exposed
since that time in glass cases in the
Imperial Museum at Vienna.
The mineral has radio activity of
sc. These specimens caused sensi-
tive diamond to become luminous In
the dark, although a board seven
eighths Of an inch thick separated them
from the gem itself. The doctor says
that all diamonds will not respond to
the test, but the one which he used had
peculiarly blush luster and was
valued at $4,000.
By means Of radium compounds he
has taken pictures Of diamonds
through paper in eight seconds and
through glass in two minutes. Expert
ments in photographing through a
board resulted in pictures being OBJ
tained in thirty-flve minutes.
From scientists abroad DR.. Kunz has
obtained specimens of rare radio ac-
tive minerals, including willemite for
warded to him by M. Currie.
Radium is generally kept from the
air. but in order to get special eff
fects it is often necessary to expose
It for a brief period to the atmosphere
DR.. Kunz has invented an appliance for
the benefit of those who feel that they
absolutely must carry a quantity OF
radium with them for the astonish-
ment Of their friends. 1t consists Of a
tube of glass which has hole cut In
one side of it, over which fits metal
cap. The radium compounds may be
| kept in this, and when 1t Is desirable
to expose them they may be shifted
down to the aperture when the cap is
| removed.
Glass is employed for this purpose
but DR.. Kunz has made for his own
private use a small tube Of rock crys-
tai which he wears on his watch chain
When he talks about radium or takes
photographs through boards he car
take the diminutive tube from his
watch chain and permit the rays to
issue from their source within the rock
crystal.
For the government exhibit there
will be little radium, only few MILE
grams, but there will be actinium, polo
MUM, radium-tel all radio active
substances. Besides this there will be
the original tubes for ultraviolet light
Roentgen tubes, pitchblende from
which radium Is extracted and innu-
merable photographs. York Her
aid.