RADIUM.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14917, 16 March 1914, Page 5

RADIUM.

SAID TO BE UNPROCURABLE.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.")

WAIMATE, March 14. A statement made by Dr. Margaret Crtiickshank, who has just returned from a twelve-months' tour of Great Britain and rhe United States, appears to !,c> of considerable interest in view of the intended trip of I>rs. Martin (Palmurston North). Wilson (\\ anganui), and McGavin (Wellington), in quest of a supply of radium to found a Radium Institute for the North Island at Palmerston North. Dr Cruickshank states that if the intended trip has mo other purpose than the procuration of a supply of standardised radium, it amounts to a wild goose chase, because radium practically cannot be purchased at any price. At the Middlesex Hospital Dr. Cruickshank saw a young lady patient under treatment with £IUUU worth of radium around her neck. Visiting Kdiiiburjx'i laiirniary, i>r (.'rutckshiink learned from Ih\ Dawson Turner, head ol this ramotis institution, that tiie authorities had lor some time hail £:-W() aside to purchase radium, but could hoi get any. The Kadium Institute would give absolutely no information as t>) where radium coiilxl Ix purci'asi'd. I>>\ Dawsou Turner va> a radium enthusiast, using about £3000 worth of his own. and getting good results. Radium w:>.s considered to be effective after operations for cancer in killing povvbio unsuspected (-ollb left ;>ft<.i- riio ospiiiiation with tho surgeon's knife, a'so rendering cases oper.ihie tliat were not ot'ier.vi-e confined enough for surgioal, treatment. Not long ago i"2() would purchase what was worth £1000 to-day. When Dr. Cmickshank's attention was drawn to the reported discovery ot radium deposits in Jamaica, by an English expert, she referred the leporter to her confrere, Dr. Barclay, who said he hoped the report was true, but even if j true, it meant that tho supply would not be increased for a considerable time, owing to tho fact that even after a laboratory had been established, the chemical processes involved in the reduction of pitchbend and the extraction of rad'iiin therefrom, avouM take a long time. It must be iec-oU"cted that the radium product of one ton of pitchblend was only .17 of a gramme. In any case, there was nothing conclusive yet. ,\s to the distinctive advantages of radium so far as he could judge, Sydney, with its uroat supply, had boen able Io acconi?)lis.h nothing not already done by Rontgen rays.