Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-12
A LOST BOTTLE OF RADIUM.
Extraordinary Possibilities of Crime
And Accident,

Extraordinary Possibilities of Crime
And Accident.
A tiny tube of radium from the lab
oratory of Madame Curie has been lost
in Paris. Inconceivable terrors and
dangers surround this apparently tri-
fling occurrence.
The tube Of radium may cause death
or mutilation to innocent and ignor-
inals, 1t may become an instrument for
committing crimes that will defy de-
lection.
This tube Of radium Is shooting out
rays at the speed Of $4,000 miles
second. The powers Of those rays are
only partly understood, but 1t Is known
that they can cause terrible injury
and death, according to the length of
exposure.
The lost tube was given to a mes
senger for conveyance to an American
doctor In Paris. On arriving at his
destination the messenger found that
he had dropped the tube or had been
robbed Of 1t.
Already the suggestion has been
widely spread that radium might be
used in crime, and has certainly been
acted upon in some instances.
The police are investigating series
of crimes believed to have been COM
mitted by gang moving in fashion
able society in Paris. The criminals
are Of good education and possess
abundant resources Of all kinds. One
of their number is brilliant and
beautiful woman of noble birth, who
has played the part Of a social hostess
with great success.
They plotted to get possession of the
fortune Of a millionaire named Count
de Castillon. Having made his ac-
Quaintance, they invited him to stay
at q handsome chateau they rented
in the country. The woman criminal
and one of the men posed as host anS
hostess. With them was their beauti-
full young daughter.
was stricken with an attack of general
paralysis. A doctor was promptly
called in and failed to give the sick
man any relief. He was greatly pug
zled by the case, for he was unable to
find any explanation Of the disease or
any history which might have led up
to 1t.
The count gradually grew worse and
died in the conspirators' house. The
woman expressed the deepest grief at
this event, and explained that the dead
man had been engaged to her young
daughter.
The doctors suspicious had been
slightly aroused by the behavior Of
the people in the house. A strange
circumstance suddenly strengthened
these suspicious.
While attending the dying man the
doctor had accidentally carried away
with his instruments an ordinary col
lar button belonging to the patient.
When he discovered It he placed IL
on glass dish in his ofice and for
got It for some days Then the sufferer
died.
The doctor picked up the glass dish
and was astounded to find that 1t had
assumed a strong violet tint. This.
as nearly everybody knows. is the in
variable effect of radium on glass. The
doctor Immediately carried the button
and dish to a laboratory.
There it was found that the shaft
of the button contained tiny speck
Of radium of high power, 30 placed
that there was only q partition OF
sixty second Of an inch between 1t
and the outside Of the button which
would rest against the wearer's neck.
The medical men informed the police
of the circumstances. The latter
found that the deceased had left a
will leaving all his fortune to the young
daughter of the mistress of the
chateau. The girl and her mother
were taking the usual steps to have
the will put into effect.
Police and scientists pieced together
q theory that one Of the conspirators
had acted as valet at the chateau,
and had changed the counts collar
button for one containing the particle
of radium. The deadly substance,
worn day after day over the spinal
cord just below the base Of the brain,
had inevitably produced paralysis. The
conspirators had previously forged a
will, dated some months before the
visit to the chateau, leaving the counts
property to the young girl. Every step
in the plot had been carried out with
exquisite skill.
The supposed criminals will fight
desperately for the property, and 1t
will be exceedingly difficult to prove
the case against them.
Just now Madame Curie Is suffering
from a mysterious illness, at first d.
agnosed as appendicitis, but now de-
cided not to be that disease. 1t is
believed that the radium may have had
d specially destructive influence on
her intestnes without showing its ef-
feet on the outside Of the body. 1t Is
also possible that she has absorbed
large quantities Of radioactive water.
which has remained in her tissues
New York American.
Doubtful Eeonomy.-Hans Schmidt,