The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1910-08-05
THE MYSTERY OF RADIUM
Uncertainty Concerning Existence
of the Really Pure Substance.

of the Really Pure Substance.
As an element radium occupies 4
remarkable position In the lists OF
the chemists. All the others are
known IN an elementary state, while
radium Is only known, or rather in
ferred, from its compounds, as the
chloride of bromide. When W,
speak of radium and its effects, la
fact, We allude TO one OF these com
is assumed that in these there is IN
elementary metal present similar to
those of the barium group and 90 IL
bined with chlorine of bromine But
while barium. strontium and cal
cium can be separated from their
similar combinations. chemists have
so far. failed to isolate radium III &
similar way.
This leads 10 uncertainty as to the
existence Of such a thing as pure ~
dium. And for several years dis
tinguished French physicist, Mr.
Gustaye lie Bon. has expressel TIE
opinion that radium does not exist as
an elementary body analogous to
barium His views have been read be-
fore the French Academic DIES Seisn-
san, the distinguished French chem
list, whose high-tempered researe' es
are so well known, held similar
views.
II "radium chloride" is IA chen zeal
compound similar to barium chloride
then 1t might be suggested that the
methods of analysis which prove the
existence of barium In the latter
might be applied to the former, And
this, in fact. Is the course suggested
by NJ. LIE Bon The reason why this
has not been hitherto done is PROB
ably due to the extremely minute
qualities of radinm chloride obtain
able. In order To decide the question
by ordinary chemical analysis a
good chemist would require one
tenth OF a grain of the substance
which would cost 1000. II the ex.
pertinent wexe carried out NJ. lie
Bon prophesies that radium chloride
would turn out to be barium chlos-
ide and nothing more.
But. 1t may be asked, If radiu n
chloride, why does 1t show radio
activity, while the latter does not? Ii
Is suggested that this may be due tn
certain unknown combinations. Thus
II is pointed out that certain sui
phides which are phosporescent IL
their ordinary state are not 50 when
absolutely pure.
Ii may be further indicated thai
while pure water Is a nonconduct) u
of electricity. 1t becomes one wnen
a minute quantity of sulphuric acid
is present. as In the well known ey.
pertinent Of the electrolysis OF water
Pure zinc. again. is scarcely at all
affected by dilute hydro-chloric ~
sulphurie acid. while the CONNER.
cial article dissolves easily with CO
pious evolution OF hydrogen.
Again, has not the atomic weight
of radium been determined. and
found TO be different from that OF
barium? How could this be done /.
radium had no actual existence? The
possibility OF this arises from the In
direct method frequently employed
by chemists In determining atomic
weights. In the case OF radium az IN
that OF barium. the atomic weight
was determined from the Chord,
The chlorine from weighed quaint.
ty Of radium chloride was induced To
combine with silver. and the result.
ing silver chloride weighed. From
this the atomic weight Of radiun,
was calculated A recent determine
ton gave 226.5. but. as NJ. LIE Boa
points out, the weights obtained by
different observers differ.--London
Globe.