THE WONDERS OF RADIUM
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
It has been well said that a general idea of what radioactivity signifies is a necessary part of the education of every intelligent person, since “it is the one thing of paramount importance in the chemical and physical science of the day.” But its importance extends much farther, since radioactivity is now employed in many departments of industry, as well as in biology and medicine.
It is known that the rays from radium have the power to stimulate all forms of life, even to the extent of speeding up the growth of plants and of making dormant plants burst into bud. Some authorities, as we shall see later, are fully convinced that the radiations can be employed successfully in the prolongation of human life. It is well known that radiotherapy has, for some years now, been employed advantageously in the treatment of many forms of illness, and is, in some institutions, the sole medium for the cure or alleviation of cancer and other malignant growths.
Not long ago the discovery was made that the curative agent in certain famous baths in Europe is the radium which the waters of their springs contain.
If one could really buy bottled water which has been properly treated with radium rays or the “emanation,” beneficial results would no doubt be obtained. The trouble is that such waters are difficult to secure.
“None of the foreign or domestic commercial bottled water sold to consumers on the claim of radioactive content really contains sufficient radioactivity to warrant its purchase,” according to the report of investigation completed by the water and beverage laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
“In the examination of 46 samples from 15 states and eight foreign countries, the bureau found the highest quantity of radioactivity of a temporary nature in a bottled water from Massachusetts.
“The largest amount of permanent radioactivity was in a sample from a deep well in Ohio. It was found, however, that it would be necessary to consume 2,810 gallons of the Massachusetts water, or 1,957 gallons of the Ohio water daily to obtain an efficient dose of radioactive salts.
“During the tests radioactivity of samples was determined by means of electroscopes.”