Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-16
SAFEFOR RAD|UM
SET IN HOSPITAL
First Step Taken to Equip
Philadelphia General for
Treating Cancer
SCREENS OF LEAD ARE USED

Work on what IL planned to be the
best equipped radium treatment plant
In the United States was started at the
Philadelphia General Hospital yester-
day. The first move was the installa-
ton of q specially constructed lead lined
safe which will house the precious
metal. In addition great sheets Of lead
two and q half inches thick are being
formed into screens to protect tho ex-
perts who will handle the metal to be
used in the treatment of cancer and
similar diseases.
Scientific apparatus by which the
radium emanations will be drawn from
the safe and deposited in minute silver
tubes for use in treating sufferers will
be included. Every precaution Is being
taken to insure the experts who will
handle the radum against burns that
possibly might result In the loss Of life.
Director Furbush, who is supervising
the erection Of the radium plant. yester-
day received telegram from Washing
ton saying that the first gram Of radium
had arrived there and was to be tested
for purity and weight. Another gram
will complete the shipment, The
radium is valued at approximately
$50. .0O0.
"While it is possible that we could
get the first gram of radium from
Washington within a week, we do not
want to receive it until We have the
apparatus completely set up said DIR.
Furbush.
'"There is vast amount of work
to be done in preparing for the safe
custody of this precious element. It
must not only be guarded against theft
or lose, but also special guards must
be set up to prevent serious injury TO
persons coming anywhere near it-for
the rays Of radium have highly de-
structive effect upon human tissue and
&c is n fact that burglar who had
the temerity to steal Philadelphia =
radium IL he could get by our safe
guards might pay for his crime with
his life.
Radium Strongly Guarded
''There is considerable misapprehen-
sdon as to what we are going to do
with the radium at the Philadelphia
General Hospital. In the first place. 1t
will be put in safe with double
combination lock. The safe will be in
a room with a specially locked door and
an outer stee! door, and the whole ar
rRngement will require the presence of
three men holding three different secret
combinations before the radium can be
reached directly. But it is unlikely
that the safe containing the radum
will be opened oftener than about once
q year, when observation will be made
Of its condition and activity.
"a thin tube. encased in an extrnor-
dinarily thick lead pipe. will lead up
ward from the top of the safe. and this
lead -encased tube will bend and twist
backward and forward through various
apparatus. With this installation
most curious thing will happen. for
vacuum pump will be used to literally
draw off the radium rays or emanations
filing the safe. They will be con-
Quoted through the lead-encased tube
and purified by various scientific at
tachments and finally conducted into a
long glass tube so finely drawn that it
Is almost invisible.
There will be nothing invisible about
sft in the darkened room when the
radium emanations are pumped into il,
however, for they give of a ghastly
green light somewhat like that of the
X-ray. with which many persons are
familiar.
1.-The tube containing them will be
hardly any thicker than a needle. When
a sufficient supply of the epanations
are stored in this thin tube it will be
removed from the supply pipe and a
plug will be inserted in its open end.
Then it will be put through a glass
cutting machine which will automati-
cauy heat the tube, close it and cut il
on into quarter Inch lengths. Each
OF these lengths will contain tiny store
OF radium emanations which will be
active for long time and which are