Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-25
SUBSTITUTE FOR RADIUM.
Thorium Possesses the Same Qualities,
but in Lower Degree.


The New York Herald says: Through ex-
peripents now being made by physicians
and scientists, another substance with ra-
dioactive properties, known to scientists as
thorium, may take the place of radium as
a thera peutic agent and come into common
use for the treatment of tuberculosis End
other human ills. Thorium is a rare metal,
discovered in 1923 by Berzelius, and is
found In certain sands in North Carolina,
Brazil, Norway and Sweden 1t costs ST a
pound, while radium costs $1,000,0O0 a
pound with quotations constantly going
up.
During the last few years thorium has
been used chiefly for producing the incan-
deseence in mantles used on gas burners
and it is only within a recent period that
physicians have been experimenting with
ii in a medical way.
DR.. Samuel G. Tracy of New York has
contributed article to the Medical Rec
ord in which he describes in detail some
OF the results of his experiments with the
radioactive properties of the metal Pho
Geographic tests made by DR.. Tracy have
demonstrated that it contains the same
quality of radioact1vity as radlum, only IN
much lesser degree.
With three broken NANTES he was able
to get a fairly good negative in a dark
room with seventy-two hours exposure.
With oxide of thorium he obtained mega
tive in forty-eight hours, and With emana-
lions of hot thorium oxide the same result
was obtained in one hour.
In it's application as a medical agent
the article says: 1.-THE radioactivity en-
anates from thorium in every form,
whether in powder, solution. paste or ONT
ment The best results, however, are
likely to be obtained rom the gaseous
emanations when used as an inhalation.
This form of emanation may be obtained
either by making solution of the thori-
UNI nitrate. or, better still. by heating
the oxide in glass receptacle For exter-
nal application tiforium may be made into
a paste or 23 per cent ointment and
used as an antiseptic in chronic skin dis
eases, particularly those of parasitic orr
gin
Description is given in the article of
experiments made and apparatus used by
DIR. Soddy of London and Hugo Liber of
Germany in the treatment OF tubercu-
losis by thorium limitations The radio
activity of thorium is many thousand times
less than that of radium, and 1t differs In
other respects.
Professor Ernest Rutherford of McGnl
University, Montreal says that when
thorium nitrate is changed into an oxide
by heat 1t temporarily loses It's radioactive
ity. but when exposed to the air it soon
regains its activity In four days 1T Is
days two and half times and at the end
of two weeks 1t reaches It's maximum ra-
doactivity, which is four times as great
as was the original nitrate of thorium."
Ine emdndtfOnS from raQlum 90 not last
as long as from thorium; therefore, to-
gether with its cheapness. 1t Is looked on
as an important element in the treatment
of certain diseases. IL experiments prove
that Its potency is as great as scientists
and physicians hope.
Tests already made have demonstrated
that thorium Is as inimfcal to germ life as
radium, and experiments with grape juice
and other substances of similar nature
show that it prevents fermentation.
Prof. Rutherford was among the first to
investigate the properties of thorium. His
researches have done more. perhaps than
has been effected by any one else toward
solving it's mysteries In 1906 he discov-
cred that it gave Off an inert and highly
radioactive gas which he termed ''emana-
ton"
This gas diffuses through liquids and even
through porous substances. He considers
this emanation to be the result of success
sive chemical changes. The emanation ex-
peis from Itself a negatively charged body.
which Constitutes the Becquerel rays, the
same as those produced by radium. polon-
ium. actinium and uranium.