The Washington herald., 1914-03-23
EUROPE taking
BULK OF RADIUM
Director Holmes Calls Atten-
ton to Pitiful Lack In
American Hospitals.
TWO GRAMS AVAILABLE
Annual Report of Bureau of Mines
Puts Total Mineral Waste at
$I.OOO.OO0 Daily.
TWO GRAMS AVAILABLE

Radium needs of the United States were
represented yesterday in a striking man
ner by Joseph A. Holmes, Director Of the
Bureau of Mines. in his annual report
Europe is monopolizing the metal. he
says There is a pitiful lack of the heal
ing substance in American hospitals.
1t is estimated that in the United
States 1000 persons die each year from
cancer" SAYS the report "Radium is
considered the most promising cure for
certain types of cancer, and in many
cases where surgical operations are not
practicable it is said to be the only
known cure for this terrible disease. But
q the serious barrier to progress in demon
strating these facts Is the scarcity OF
rsdium-
There probably are not more than 80
grams (about one ounce) Of radium now
available for use in such treatment in
all countries. OF this amount there prob
ably are not more than two grams Of
radium bromide in the United States, in
the hands OF a few surgeons. Probably
fifteen grams of radium bromide were pro-
duced during 1872; and of this fifteen
grams nearly Ills grams were extracted
in various European countries from ores
shipped to them from the United States
During 1913 there was a total produc-
uon OF 2.l40 tons of radium-bearing ores
in the United States. Of which about Is
per cent of the ores and a little more
than 80 per cent OF the radium content
were shipped abroad. Because of a new
plant now being erected at Liverpool by
an English corporation controlling sixty
claims in Colorado and Utah. and the
larger purchases of ores by other foreign
corporations, the exports of radium ores
promise to be much larger during 1914
Trying to Buy Back Radium.
Meanwhile. the American hospitals are
endeavoring vainly to purchase and bring
back to the United States for their own
use some small part of this radium. even
at such prices as $4,000 to sl6acOO per
gram. or $4,000 to $500 900 for the five
grams OF radium that a large hospital
should have or have access to for special
cases.
The fact that thus far they have
been able TO obtain not more than two
grams Of this radium is due to the fact
that In Europe national governments,
well endowed national radium institutes
municipalities Cas in Germany, radIum
banks. hospitals, and speculative agen-
Cies are all endeavOring to procure and
retain supplies of radiun fo- use in the
several European countries. and the
American people only now are awakening
TO an appreciation of its Importance.
NJ fiolmes describes the work of the
@.-' -ent radium laboratory at Den
ere the bureau is attempting to
processes for extracting the
rom its ores economically.
up the question of prevention
e, the director states the bureau
an the year saved natural gas worth
more than 100000 in Oklahoma alone.
this being more than six times the cost
Of the Bureau OF Mines from its estab-
lshment
Big Natural Gas Waste.
The waste Of natural gas which still
continues in Oklahoma is equivalent to
Sl5.oOO.OOO to s20.OcO.Oeo a year and in all
the fields of the country to more than
s5eOOo,0JO year. OF the total waste, Mr..
Holmes states. so per cent is easily pre-
ventable
The unnecessary waste of coal in min
ING and handling he estimates at 10000, 900
tons year. With an investigation to
cost $4,000. he believes he can save 60
Ucv0 tons year TO the nation. He es-
Inmates the total mineral waste at not
less than million dollars day.
MIR. Holmes goes into the work being
cone TO make mines and smelters safer.
The 3n."1 men killed In United States
mines in the last ten years mean a loss
OF S000CO.000 in national productiveness,
he declares.