Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-11-04
DEFIED
BYL0ST RADlUM
Kaleidoscope USED IN HUNT FOR
MINUTE PARCEL MISPLACED AT
BILLINGS HOSPITAL
Every Granny of Institution and Sewer
Mains of City are Secuted BY Univer-
sity Professors with Delicate Instru-
ment Responsive to Energy Radiations

The bloodhound Of science, an cleo
troscope, after smiling for w days
over a large portion OF the Billings
sewer system in a hunt for a quarry no
larger than the point Of a well-sharp-
ened lead pencil, found no trace of its
intended victim.
The quarry was so milligrams Of ra-
dium, valued at 50 500, lost some time
ago at St. Vincents hospital. The glass
and metal hound was taken to Bill
lings by G.. d. Shallengerber Of Missoula
professor OF physics at the University OF
Montana.
Professor Shallenberger was joined In
the hunt by Edward M. Little, assistant
professor of physics at the university.
Carried over Sewer System
The electroscope, a delicate instrument
which instantly betrays the presence OF
minute electrical charges such as are
constantly bombarded into the atmos-
phere by radium. was exposed in every
Granny OF the hospital where the lost
radium might be concealed. The electro
scope was carried through the city streets
over the sewer system leading from the
hospital.
But he scientific sleuths and their
electrical bloodhound were disappointed
The radium has not been recovered.
Professor Shallenberger believes the &c
milligrams OF radium-seemingly an i'm
posing quantity to the lay mind, but in
reality not as large as the head of a pin,
is lodged at the bottom of the Yellow
stone river. it's healing properties for
ever to be wasted.
The incinerator at the hospital ano
the ashes taken from 1t were shifted
for radiated electricity. The sewer sys-
tenn at the hospital was p~ainstakingly
explored. But no evidence has been
found OF the three little radioactive play
mates, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
Alpha, Beta and Gamma are the names
which scientists conversant with the
e~soteric lore Of radio-activitv have giver
the three types OF electrical rays dis.
charged by radium. OF the three ths
University OF Montana professors pinned
their hopes on Gamma, the most lusty
of the Greek alphabet family.
Two Are Weak
Alpha and Beta are comparatively veal
sisters. Alpha is large and cumbersome
Her strength is futile when pitted Agains
q sheet OF aluminium the thickness Of
piece OF writing paper. Beta is smalle,
and faster and can sneak through hole
invisible aver to the best of microscopes
though not far.
Gamma, however, has no bulk to both
err her. She has no body at all. She 4
merely a wave, a vibration 1 n space suci
as light inc radio waves. She travels q
almost infinite speed.
1t Is the feet Gamma rays that tn,
radium searchers hoped would registe
on the silver leaf OF their electroscope
The e~lectroscope was placed In an auto
mobile driven slowly over the sewer pipes
At points where 1t was thought the ra
dunn might be lodged. the instrument
was placed on a tripod and the silve
leaf watched through q mAgnifying glass
II the radium had been below, the lea
zontal position.
The radium was lost at the hospita
September IS. 1t was being used In treat
ing . patient for cancer and Is believet
to have been inadvertently removed b,