The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-08-20
RAQ111. IND c0HS11z11 .

ceSsive fractional crystalliZations OF
the radium chloride and, at a later
stage, of the bromide, most OF the
radium is obtained in salt contain
ing over 90 per cent of pure radium
bromide. BY still further chemical
treatment the bromide is converted
into the sulphate or the chloride. ana
in the therapeutic use of radium these
two salts find the largest USE"
Nine. Curie. several years ago by
general request, fixed an international
radium standard. This is deposited
in Paris and the leading cities OF the
world have replicas of ii. So now
radium preparations are measured by
comparing the electrical energy car
ried by their gamma rays with that
of the international standard. While
radium has still many mysteries, 1t
may be said for the benefit of the
general public that its energy appears
to be given off in three rays, which
are known as the Alpha, Beta and
Gamma rays. 1t is stated that the
Alpha and Beta rays are electrical
and that the Gamma ray is rather a
vibration than a ray. The Alpha ray
is believed to comprise IS per cent
of radiums activity; it travels with
about the speed of light and has no
penetrative power. The Beta ray is
about 10 per cent Of the activity,
travels with about s-15 the speed of
light and can penetrate about an inch
and one-fifth of lead. The Gamma
ray can penetrate more than three
inches of lead; when 1t strikes a hard
substance it breaks up into two rays
corresponding to the Alpha and Beta
rays.
| 1t is the Gamma ray that is used
in bloOdless surgery. The Alpha ray
does not burn. The Beta ray is kept
from the patient by a screen that alb
serbs it. The Gamma ray seems t.
have the peculiar quality of pickin,
out useless or harmful tissues for it.
first attack; it will harm useful tbs
sues only after harmful tissues have
been burnt away or dissolved. Radi
um is handled i'm glass tubes incaset
IN lead containers. Those who handle
it constantly usually get pretty badl!
burned sooner or later. Flesh burnet
oy radium cannot be healed; it simpl
disappears and is gone. One of Nine
Curie's hands has been affected ant
her general health has been under
mined by intensive wartime work witt
radium.
A gram of radium makes sma
, thimbleful. Its current price is 500
900. A gram is divided into a thOus
, and parts, each of which is called
milligram and sells for S120. Physi
clans who use 1t have from so to %
miligrams. The state of New YOr
has recently purchased pa grams 70
use in the treatment Of cancer.
With radium worth $4,000 a thin
J bleful, how is 1t that the dials of eve
cheap watches can be made luminou
! by its use? It's this way: The lun
: nous material on the dial is con
e bination of a most minute portion c
5 real radium and a special zinc su
phide. These atoms are so small tht
: it would take hundreds of million
i Of them to cover an inch. AS eac
: atom explodes, a prOjectile, too sma
J. to be seen under a microscope flies o
I and strikes crystal of the zine o,
n ide. The heat generated by the In
S pact makes q flash visible to the ey
e AS these explosions occur at the raj
: of about 100000 second on the watC
n dial, their combined flashes make Il
= dial luminous.