On The Trail of The Elusive Millimicrocurie

NZ Truth, Issue 1240, 5 September 1929, Page 1

On The Trail of The Elusive Millimicro curie

Fantastic Claims

. _- Scathing Censure

N.Z SCIENTISTS EXPOSURE OF DEVICE

Drink eight full glasses of "Revigator"

Analysis Result

:NoG

A HEALTH spring m, every New Zealand home. That is what "Revigator" means to you, If you have a goitre, "Revigatpr" will . tackle it. No v cure guaranteed, mark you ; hut then, who can guarantee to cure anj^thing? Have you arthritis, rheumatism or neuritis? "Revigator" will cause them to vanish like; mist before the morning sun. At least, that is what is gathered from the enticing advertising matter that emanates Troth : the Revigator Water Jar Co., New York, Chicago and San Francisco. I This wonderful invention looks simplicity itself. It is a well-built porcelain jar with a nice little tap, but, as with a Erafcil nut,' it is the kernel thaL counts, , • You fill the receptacle with water, lefe'ifci-stand for some^ hours — the longer tfid' f " , ''be t tter — and

A- ' "■ -"' "■■-■".; yy y : — — — -r- — t the subject of' ( an< article m 'The Journal' of 'the Ariiericati Medical Association some time ; ago, and L am enclosing; three reprints of this article If youvcan use more, let me kno-yv. • , V "You \s>v ill be interested to know 'that,: since this ;. article appeared, vthe^Cburicir ohjPharmacy'Aahd Chemistry of the American Medical - Association 'bas come to the.; defi-' hite conclusion thit vtheyevidence for the therapeutic value of any, devices Aof ths sort; no ; matter what their "radio actiyjty.'is lack;ying;':: '''':y. ;7v; "../'■•■• '■ '.' : 'a-: o '.;-' 7 >'■■■'•.■ A. "The Council oh : Pharmacy ■ and Chemistry,- Ythree: or Afour years ago,; admitted* certain radium emanatipiv jarjs that had a' high activity, but niore : :co^pr«t«^;e^ie^^b;as K .J.«JiP.wn : v y '"t fr'e i'r- . -^vorthless-

then drink "eight full glasses a day." This is claimed to give the benefits of tli c waters of the most

'famous health springs of the world. | This wonderful invention is. a pro-l duct of America, but Uncle Sam, m thc goodness of his heart, could not be selfish enough to, deny ' this sover^ efr.n remedy to the rest of a diseaseridden world, and consequently the public of New Zealand are invited 'to partake of its wonderful benefits, at the pr,ice of from three to ten guineas. The" purveyors of this jar 1 make, the extraordinary claim -that such health springs as Vichy, Gastein, St. Joachimstal and others are of great medicinal value on account of their radio activity. As the "Revigator" causes water to become radio-active, then the same results may be expected ot "Revigator" water as from the product of Vichy oi\ other health . springs. Perhaps! " It was this extraordinary announcement that caused "Truth" to regard the t matter with more than passing interest, and the results of investigations made by . references to the highest authorities show that this "invention" is being purveyed to the public on a cleverly "constructed system of half inferences and plairi eye-wash. * •, It cannot be denied that after being m the "Revigator" i

ness." ," The article from the Journal sent by Dr. Cramp is scathing and convincing. It 'is headed:

"Radium Ore Revigator: Capitalising the Public's Ignorance of Radium and Radio. Activity." The article then goes-on to relate how "A huge traffic has been developed during the pdst ,four or five years m the sale of so-called radio-active pads, consisting of a few cents' worth of crude ore having a low grade of radio activity and possessing no/ more" 'therapeutic value than'do'the luminous figures on the dial of a 'two-dollar watch." "One" of the most widely and extensively advertised oF these de- , vices is known as the "Radium Ore Revigator," put out by a Californian company. As is commonly the case with latter-day pseudomedicine having large financial resources behind it, the Revigator concern puts forward an hypothesis for which there is no foundation, and proceeds to build its claims upon it." The article goes on to analyse some lof the testimonials and to point out how they are claims by "indirection." ' "The exploiters of the 'Revigator,' " lit states, "have adopted their I methods skilfully. Instead of I making definite claims for the ' product they have

jar for some hours tap water may become radio active to a small degree. It is denied, how-

ever, and most emphatically dented, that this radio activity m the water can give it any demonstrable claim to the properties of Vichy or any other proved medicinal mineral water. An analysis of Vichy water shows that it contains marked quantities of I sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate» i magnesium sulphate and sodium chloride. -It is from these valuable contents that the water gains its medicinal properties and not from radio activity. When the "Revigator" people can claim results similar to those obtained from Vichy water, then, and not before, will "Truth" believe that the jar has medicinal properties that will make it worth the money that is asked for it. "Truth" does not rely on ordinary lojric, though that is quite enough for the ordinary individual to discount the value of the jar, but it had recourse to the highest .authority oh* medicine m America/the Bureau of Investigation of the American Medical Association, for evidence. The American Medical Association is akin to the British Medical Association, and is composed-' of genuine medical men- and scientists. In' a, letter to "Truth," Dr. Arthur J. Cramp, the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, states: "The 'Radium Ore Revigator' was HnnniiiiiuniiiuuiuuiiiiiniMiiiiuiiiiiiuuinniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiniiuiniiiMiuii.Mi

to sell, they allow gullible purchasers . to '• make th c clai m s for them. They are much too shrewd

v to say that the water fromytlie 'Revigator' veill cure cancer. "Instead they publish a testimonial from a San' Francisco woman,, who says that she had suffered for live years from cancerous growth and various other troubles, began A drinking water from the 'Revigator,' and now reports that she never felt better m her life. "Th»y do not claim that their vigoi water will cure blood poison — nothing so crude. But they .publish a letter from Mrs. S., who declares that 'it cured 'blood poison' for her twelve-year-old daughter 'and worked a miracle' on her eighteen-year-old daughter, who suffered from 'female trouble.' "Too clever— or too cautious'-rto say that the 'Revigator' will cure varicose veins or neuritis, they publish a letter "from Mr. 8., of Los Angeles, who reports: 'Has greatly reduced yaricpse veins just as you said it would do.' Even the United. States Government is ■ hauled m, to provide evidence for the "Revigatbr." r Read what the "Journal" has to say about it. "The impression is repeatedly conveyed, without the .statement being definitely matte, that the U.S. Government holds that the therapeutic value 1 of certain natural springs is due to IIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIII

WONDER - WORKING REVIGATORS «fr i , v i So-called Health-giving and Disease -chasing Jars Which Mix Radio With Faith

Pulldown the Doctors' shingles, close the Druggists' doors, let the \ mineral springs of Rotorua and Vichy bubble and boil m impotency, for " Revigator " is upon them and they are undone. Here rs- the elixir of life, the wonder invention (?) that will banish dull care/ Drink eight full glasses of "Revigator" water every day and shoo your chronic blues away. „ ' ' - *\ i ■ '•■■■ ' ; ; v—;u — ; ,e\— — : ,- ■ •'■■■■; — a

their radio adtivity. The , Government, of course, "has made no .such claim;" "The public is further told that the 'apparatus has been tested by the U.S. Government 'at our request.' The basis of this claim seems; toy be that the concern had the Bureau of Standards test the radio activity_of water

that has stood m a specimen 'Re-viga-tor' jar for a varying number of; hbui'S. "These tests were y made some time ago, at a time when the Bureati of Standards would test> weakly radioactive material: They were made, of course, oh one or two individual jars, and there is no assurance, except that (1 1 n 1 1 1 rii[ iit 1 1 1 [i v 1 1 1 1 1 riM l f 1 1 1 1 il f 1 1 1 ti 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r v 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (ii 1 1

» = ■ : 7-' given by the Revigator concern, that the jars they are furnishing to r day have even the radio-activity of the special jar or jars which were tested by the Bureau of Standards. _ Even if they have, it means as the amount of emanation given off by the 'Revigator' is so small as to have not

the slightest therapeutic significance. • "In order to obtain the quantity ; of -emanation that would be considered ' the-, minimum adequate y dose; it Would be necessary .for the , patient ' to consume the contents of from sixty to one. hundred and iiinuiiiuiiniiiiiniii'uiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiniiiiiiMiiiiiMiiMiiiiiminiiiii

a;: ;'.'. v . : a ; -y v '. — ~'.y. yy . I ; twenty. 'Revigator' jars of water „ . (120 ti> ,240 gallons) each twentyfburAKburs." ''■ 'Yy • iThe •^'Reyf gator was first handled m. New Zealand by EJdmanson and Co., Lq\yer y ;,,l'6'ry Street, Wellington, and; Mr: J. B:yChampipn/ was the represen- , tatiije; 'Since then Mr. - Champion- has opened' the , Ore. Revigator Agency 'm the Chambers, Courtenay ; Place, and his -name figures on' the visiting cards as manager. :\'Y'-: / Quite^ a-^nurhber of Revigatbrs have' beeny fsold ih'i yand" about Wellington, ahdyrriany of \.:the<" sales : tiave ' been effected -on rtheistrength of an analysis by 'thei Radium y>pepa rtinerit -of the .yyelUnfrton;^ A .Hospital, and- signed by Dr. ; Marsden, head of ; the Department ;6ti Scientific i and Industrial Research. .'• ■■■■: The yahaly sis '.y^y- '■--. yA.'AyAA.

shows that -v water hi ter\y ;..;■ beihgV yy i'i\ ■ ■:. the' L'radium ;' 6rer ; v lin^d jjayr y for -some; h o ul; s;? ybfecomißs;

— has come m for much trenchan criticism. The so-called "Revig ator" is not what it is claimet

to be.

is terribly impressed, even to the point of buying a "Revigator." Would he he so impiessed if he kriew that a millimicrocurie is a thousandth part of a million? If he would visualise a millimicrocurie let | him just poke his finger into space and divide the result by a thousand. That will give a fair idea. of the size o£ a millimicrocurie of radium, emanation. ' If you could contrive to get 2000 of these elusive nothings into your system through the agency of the "Revigator" you might, accoiding to the Ameilcan Medical Association, deme some benefit ' When "Truth" representatives dropped m to have a chat with Mr Champion, they were greeted affably, and Mr Champion sought to show that the "Revigator" was all that the pioprietors claimed it to be. i He bombarded his questioners w^th * , sheaves of "Re-

to a' certain A ex^ . ..•,.■. ■„ .- -.... -,- teri.t,y r.adio'-active. A The results ' kre approximately trie same as .those, obtained by the British and American .tests*.. ' y'\Y ■■...'■'' •'': y'f yA. '~ : ' <:'■■' ■' A' -...-■., A; ' - Thelanalysls. shows '■ that .after starid"ingiyfbrA sbme y' seventeen hours' the .\Vater. 'obtains ,an A amount of radon equal tO) 23.5 pjicromillicuries per litre arid funning to 81.0 .for 120 hours. : • v l n view, of the American, scien* . tific'. .standard of Aa minimum ypf 2000. millim.icrocuries (which- is. only/ .another way of spelling • micrornillicuries) before any medical benefits can be expected, it can readily be seen that the Revjgator • has, a lorig way to go. / y y To .the average man 23.5 milllrnicrbciiries of radio activity may seem Avery. impressive, and when ''the-', name of Dr. Marsden is put at the bottom; of the analysis. It is more impressive still; Hence the "Revigator" people are making, the mdst ■ of tliis.'and are .generous, with copies of : the analysis to prospective buyers, a- r A V;One copy which has come 'into "Truth's" possession has the following foot-note at the bottom:. "This report proves' • conclusively that 'Revigator'; water' is, equal Ato -that froni the best health Spas )ot the world;" : To the, unobservant reader It would

appear tnat tnat s t a-,t.e m c n't was . from Dr. Marsdeh, and ;> so! "Truth" [showed the copy to the doctor himself.

Dr. Marsden was v' - '■■•■'- ' • ' considerably annoyed at the manner in ' which -the analysis of his'; DepaVtr merit ! was being exploited;, and had no hesitation' m saying so. 'He stated that the analysis was made m tlie ordinary, routine of the: Department and showed that- the >vater was slightly^radio active and nothing ".more A y ; .. . ' He regarded the postscript as being very! reprehensible m .that it gave the impression that he. was responsible for the statement. ;• ._' • A . "■'■''■ Dr'; Marsden 'subsequently forwarded the ; following letter to "Truth" : -A "In reply,. to. your inquiry,* I forwayd for your.^irifdrmatioh. copy of- letter, written, by me oh the 24th' of May last to Mr. Champion, regarding test of: 'Revigator,' and copy, of his reply . thereto.. ' :■ •'•.'■• ' .■'' ■ V: y-.-Y / "I would point ' out that thens y ■ was no postscript to my letter to Mr. .Champion, nor yyas there any discussion between lis. as to the . significance of the results, or, com- .'■'< parison with radium emanation content of spring or other waters. Aln all of the analyses great stress, is placed upon the number of the millimicrbcuries of radon :in the; water after it has stood m the "Revigator jar. The average, man has never heard, of a millimicrocurie, arid consequently

titled to expect the same medical benefits as if drinking . health . spring water s at the spring

' itself , When. "Truth" pointed put that tlie. water of .the famous Rachel spring at Rotorua; is only, minutely radio-actiye, yet is one? of the best m the A\orld on account of its medicinal properties, Mr. . y Champion .was somewhat nonplussed, "and flung a little more "Revigator" leading matter i,nto the argument. Again, the names, of scientists physicists and others were whirling m a maze of springs,* radio-activity and gas. Out of it all "Truth's" representatives cariie with the firm opinion that the recognised medical scientists of America were more* to be depended upon than those authorities quoted by the Revigator through Mr. Champion. t| He stated that he would not guarantee to cure anything, but hs did say that anyone suffering from any of the diseases mentioned m the long list m the "Revigator" pamphlets could expect relief and probably a cure. He stated that faith had a good deal to do with the cure of disease; and the use of the "Revigator" 'had to be allied with a strong faith m its efficacy "Truth" agiees with him; m fact, it seems as if the faith factor would be thc main mgredientl

" vigator" - literature -. of the type com- | mented on so ad- , versely by the ' ■American Medical I

Association. In this wonderful collection o£ admatter the names of Sir "Ernest Rutherford, , Sir Arbuthnot Lane, Hippocrates, , Darwin, Grookes, Roentgen and othqr notables, dead and ' ali\e, are freely used, but, alas. "Truth" | could not find where one of them had anything to say about the "Revigator." it is shown, too, that the three outstanding discoveries "of the twentieth century are the aeroplane, wireless and .the "Revigator." How annoyed Edison and Marconi must be' that they did not think^of this wonderful invention and thereby, add lustre to their /fame. Mr Champion had to confess that he i eally knew no more about the ' mattei than "Viuth's" lepresentatives, i and after listening to his arguments culled fiorii the "Revigator" literature, it is doubtful if he knows as much. "Truth's" representatives questioned Mr Champion ag to the significance of i the tests made on the "Revigator" by Dr. Marsdert's- department. Champion affirmed that he believed i that the tests showed that the "Revigator" .water equal to the standard of the best health springs of the world, and anybody / purchasing - - • one .would be en-