Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-12-10
RADIUM CARNATIONS
Brought Into Contact With Din-
monds. They Clarity the Gems.

monds, They Clarity the Gems.
The universal interest awakened by
recent experiments with that wonder
tul new property III matter. radio ac-
tivity. has served 10 make the world
of readers generally aware Of the fact
that diamonds phoSphorcscc brilliantly
In the dark when exposed to the ema
nations from radium. Indeed il has
been suggested that this property of
fers SIRE dnd 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 inn
portance Ii appears to he able 10 cure
the defect Of oil color stones by
changing their Objectionable yellowish
hue 10 the desirable pale blue or blue
green tint characteristic of first water
gems
Sir William took two ycllowish dia-
monds. closely matched in color and
quality. and placed one of them inside
tube containing radium bromide
keeping IL there continuously for pc
riOd of Sevcnty-eight days. In the
meantime the other stone was kept in
drawer carefully placed ut safe
distance from all radium and other
| radio active substances. At the end of
the time mentioned the two diamonds
We're compared. and il was found that
the one which had been subjected to
tho action of the radium enanations
had been deprived completely of its
yellowiSh color. but nj the same time
| its surface had been considerably dark
ened with Il deposit of graphite. After
being heated. however. for ten days in
n mixture Of strong nitric acid and pc
| tassium chlorate the dull film diSap-
peared. and the stone appeared per
fectly TRANSPARENT and sparkling with
n beautiful blue green tinge.
The explanation seems 10 he that the
state of continual vibration in which
the diamond was kept by the lombard
ment of the radium carnations for so
many days produced an internal
change. resulting in an alteration of
the color Of the stone Thus the effect
of the cmanations. as the expcrimenter
suggests. may he To cause Il chemical
as we'll rs II physical change. and he
adds that IL the yellnwiSh hue is due
to the presence in the diamond of iron
I'm the "frrric" state u reduction to the
ferrous state would quite account
for the change of color. 1t may he said
by way of explanation that iron In the
fcrric state shows yellowish or red
dish color and in the ferrous state a
greenish or BLUSH color.
This discovery is one of the most in
terestirg as well as most unexpected
that HI; sc yet been made concerning the
effects Of the radium emanations. The
Investigating chemist interested princi-
pally in the purely scientific aspects OF
the phcn is not likely to care
very much about the possible results
Oh the diamond market. but possessors
of off color stones may comfort them
selves with the thought that science
has possibly found u way To increase
the value rs we'll as the beauty of their
jewels. although in the present state of
the matter il would perhaps cost more
to 'curc" II cheap stone hy Il course of
| radium treatment than to exchange ii
for a better one Garrett T. Serviss in
| Success Magazine.