The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-30
NEED RADIU,1 IN
FIGHT ON CANCER
Movement on Foot to Substitute
MeSo-Thorium in Making
Luminous Materials.
MEDICAL DEMAND IS GREAT
Physicians and Chemists Feel That
Everything Possible Should Be
Done to Conserve Radium for
Therapeutic Purposes

Schenectady. N. Y.-So great is the
demand for radium In the treatment
of cancer and various malignant dis
eases, that movement is now on foot
for withdrawing it as much as posi-
BILE from the manufacture of luminous
dials and other industrial purposes,
so that 1t may be employed entirely
for the treatment of human Ills.
How this is being effected was told
by DR.. Harlan S. Miner. a Philadel-
phia chemist, who addressed the east
ern section of the American Chemical
society at Union college In this city.
The substance advocated as SUBJ
stitute Is meso-thorium, q by-product
obtained In the manufacture of thori-
UNI, a mineral which is extensively en-
ployed in the manufacture of gas man
ties
Comes From Brazil and India.
The ores from which thorium is
made are imported largely from Bra
I'll and India, although there is a
limited supply available in the United
States. Meso-thorium can be seen at
night and therefore Is an ingredient of
the paint which is used In the mark
ing of clock faces, watch dials and
range finders which can be read in
the dark The demand for such ap-
pIiances In the trenches during the
European war greatly stimulated their
manufacture both here and abroad,
and although they are no longer mill
tary necessities they have an extern
sive vogue in these days of peace.
Thorium is itself radioactive, but
is chiefly valuable because when mixed
with one or two per cent of cerium
oxide and heated 1t gives out a power
full radiance. It's use Is increasing be-
cause municipalities are accepting a
heat unit rather than a candlepOwer
standard for Illuminating gas, and
the demand for nantes is likely to
extend Consequently the facilities
For making the by-product meso- thori-
lm, which would not be commercially |
practical of itself. are being augment |
ed
Companies which are now manu- |
'acturing thorium." said DR.. Miner. |
have ever since 1914 been develop |
ng their outputs of -thorum. and |
here has been special activity along
hose lines in the last few months
The demand for radium in the treat
nent of cancer and for other medical
purposes is now so great that both I
physicians and chemists.feel that every
hing possible should be done TO cor
erve it exclusively for therapeutic
arge hospitals and sanitaria for the
elief Of malignant diseases. 1t natur-
lily will be held intact. The losses
rom It's emanations are so slight that
can be used for centuries without
ny appreciable diminution in It's
roperties. AS everything is being
one by the medical profession to con-
Onsensus Is that it should be held
here it will do the most service to
Causes Heavy Loss.
"If various forms Of radium are en-
Ioyed in the manufacture of luminous
oses, there will naturally be a heavy
SIS of the element Watches, clocks
penknives on which radium IL
sed are likely to be lost, mislaid OF
when the supply of the ele-
ent becomes so widely distributed
at the chances for recovering It
ould be slight
1T happens, however, that there are
so manufa cturers OF luminous mattel
ais who are in a position to derive
'th radium and meso-thorium from
rtain minerals, and they are inclined
set aside their radium for medical
rposes and to use the meso-thorium,
lich is chemically Identified with
dium as luminous material Al
ougli there has been some difference
opinion in the medical profession
to the value Of radium In the treat
mt Of maladies. there Is much to in
,ate that it and radioactive sub
noes generally have an important
TT In the practice of the healing art" I
Dr.. Miner also described at length I
! uses of other rare earths such as
'ium and chromium in the arts and
ences He held out the prospect !
It some of them, which hitherto had !
N Imported from Austria and Ger
ny, could be obtained on a limited
lie. from sources on the American
ltinent. y