IN SEARCH OF RADIUM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2010, 18 March 1914, Page 5

IN SEARCH OF RADIUM.

IS THB TASK HOPELESS? (fly 'IHesraph.—SDGClai CortesDottdenU . Wahnaie, March 16. A_ statement- niude- by Dr. Margaret Cj-ukkshaak, wild' has "just returned from a twel.'e mouths' tour in Great Britain and the United States,'appears to be of considerable interest, in view of tho intended trip oi' Dvs. Martin (Pal' merstou North), \Vjlsoii (WaDgaiiui), and M'Gavin (Wellington) in quest of a supply of radium, to found a. Itadiuw Institute for tho Xorth Island at J.!;vlmetston. . ]>r. CruickshiHik states that if the in,'teided trip has no other purpose than the procuration of a supply of standardised radium, it amounts to a wild goose chase, because radium praetioaliy ciinuot be at any price. She visited tho Itadiiirn Institute in I/Ondoii, lint ono unalterable condition of the treatment in this institution seometl to be thaftlie patient on wkbm the β-wr* geous proposed to operate could not rc» ; roam. The Middlesex Hospital, however, as well us others, was using j : radium as an adjunct to operable oases. . Dr. Cruickshank saw a youug Iswjy pa- ■ ti«it undsr treatment with. .£l<X)O'worth of radium around her neck. Visiting Edinburgh -Infirmary, Br. ' Oruie.kshank learned from Dr. Dawson, head of this famous iastitetioa, that the authorities had for so'.no t-icfUr hid £3000 set asi'lc to purchase radium,/but conltj not get any. The London Radium . Institute would give absolutely no in- j i fonnatkm as to where Milium could to | ' purchased. Dr. Dawson Turner, wlro is !i rednun oathns-ast, is using- about £3-000 worth of Ms own, ond is setting 1 good results. r . Radkim was considered to In effective after operations for eaneer in Inning possible unsuspected cells left after the exploration with the surgeflp's knife, a!soht rendering casts operable- tliat werehot othnrwisp confined enough for snr-; gical removal.. Not. kins; ago ;£2CSI wfllilsl purchase what was worth £1000 to-day." When Dr. Crivielcsliauk's ettention was drawn to. tlse reri'l'mrteil discovery of. ' rodium deposits in Jamaica, liy an TCii«Mi expert (vide Thursday's,.cablegrams from Kingston), slip' , referred the reporter to her confrere, Dr. Barclay, who honed tlie report was true, but'remarked that even if true it meant ttat .tho su»nly wf-uld net f'f increased 1 for a c-on.sider-alile time, owing to tlio fact that even utter a lalioratory i»il'li«e» rstaWislied, tfe> cheinieal ortrcesscs involved in tiio reduction-of ttie liitolilitonde and th« extvaotiou of radium thefoffoiii would take a long time. It must ho recollected that the* lVliumi product of ono ton of pitch blende was onij* decimal seventeen'of a grain. In any ease., there- was no-tlum; coiwltsivo yet as to tho distinctive- advantages of radium, so as no ccitld judge.' S,vdnpy f with its creat pimply, Liatl been 'n\>V> to- accomnKsli noOiin.™' not itlreatly done "by Monlgtm rays.