The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1915-01-28

Inc existence of another radioactive
element is claimed by Holman, but
very little is known at present of the
properties of this substance. A very
considerable number of ordinary sub
stances Crooks and metals) have also
been found to be very slightly radio
active; but it is as yet doubtful wheth.
er this is due to the properties of
the simple substances, or to the pre-
sehce OF minute traces of the strongly
radioactive elements The rays sent
tout by radioactive substances arc
known as "Becqueral rays" and have
been shown TO be complex in char
acter. In the case of radiations of
radium salts, the rays have been found
to consist of three different types,
differing in the readiness with which
they are absorbed by the matter, and
the extent to which they are de-
Elected in a magnetic field.
When solutions of radium salts are
allowed to stand in a closed vessel it
Is found that an extremely minute
quantity OF highly radioactive gas
gradually accumulates. This gas is
known as the "radium emanation,"
It's radioactive power falling to about
one-half after four days The walls
OF a vessel which contained this ra-
dunn emenation also became radio
active, by what is called induced
or excited activity, and the theory is
that by radioactive disintegration of
radium emanation a solid has been
deposited on the surface of the walls
which itself is radioactive. This
solid is called "emanation X and it's
rate of decay is very rapid The EN-.
anation contained in any solid salt of
dissolving the salt in water and boil.
ing the solution. If the solution is
eyaporated to dryness, the solid salt
radium can be entirely removed and
will again be formed. This freshly
prepared salt is found to be only
about 20 per cent. as radioactive as
the same salt before the removal of
the gas emanation. Its radio-aotivity.
however, will gradually increase on
standing until at the end Of about one
month its activity will have reached
a maximum beyond which no further
change will take place. This increase
in the radio-activity of the salt is due
to the production of fresh quantities
of emanation within it. The action
of the Bacquerel rays may be divided
pinto two general classes. They pro
duce a latent image of a. photo
| nj
through which they pass to become
conductors of electricity They also
give rise to water supply of New Ha-
ven, Conn, which was also found to
lcontain radioactive gas resembling
the radium emanation. Curie and
Laborde have recently examined the
gases given off at certain European
mineral springs, and also by the wa.
ters of the springs on boiling. They
found that the gas obtained from the
Gratonbucker Spring at Bad Gastein,
Austria, was by far the most highly
radioactive Of any examined by them.
Very little If any radioactive gas was
obtained from water which had stood
in TASKS for couple of months, thus
| showing that the radio-activity was
not due to radium salts dissolved in
the waters, but by the absorption by
the waters OF radium emanation which
had been formed elsewhere.
In making an examination of the
waters of the Hot Springs Reserva-
ton, the samples were collected at
the Springs, an dplaced in sealed
glass receptacles. These were shipped
to New Haven, Conn, where the tests
were conducted. The method OF ex-
amination used by Dr. Boltwood was
to separate the gases and emanations
from the water by boiling the water
in an apparatus which is a modifica-
ton of that described by Reichardt,
after which the emanation was
measured by an electroscope some
what similar to that used by Wilson,
In expressing the results of his eX-
lperiments. DR.. Botwood found il nee
essary to devise a new system OF
Standardization, which will permit the
direct comparison of the results OBJ
tanned with the different waters and
Ibl uiAitlGuI tAptl OuIl6 III
his Investigations of European min
eral springs used standard of guam
tity Of emanation produced by
known weight of pure radium bromide.
The objection to this is that it is inn
possible for others to obtain at pres
ent even small quantities of radium
bromide of know and established
purity. The plan used by other inves-
tigators, of expressing the result in
the number of irons produced, involves
a standard which is uncertain an ddif-
ficult to determine. The standard
originated by DR.. Boltwood. and for
which he is entitled to great credit,
is the quantity of radium emanation
set free when a known weight of ura-
Inium contained in natural mineral
is dissolved in "a suitable reagent
This standard can be ready repro.
duced. and will permit the reduction
of the results to terms OF pure radium
If that becomes the future basis Of
expression. The minera used by DR.
; | HOLLYWOOD mira nrQpitp from