RADIUM DANGERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1928, Page 2

RADIUM DANGERS

PROTECTION OF THE OPERATORS

From recent disclosures in America great prominence has been given to the dangers that, may arise from radium. In dealing with the mineral, which is of the greatest value in the treatment of cancer, the most stringent precautions are necessary, and it is of especial interest that Britain was the first to devise means for the protection of people engaged in radium work. Various methods have been resorted to for the use of radium for curative purposes, writes a correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” It has been utilised, for instance, as an injection, and some years ago the “emanatorium” system was devised in Germany, the “emanatorium” consisting of a closed chamber, the atmosphere of which contained a measured quantity of radium emanation, which the patients breathed for several hours. It was claimed that the emanation gradually permeated the system of the patient, and thus acted beneficially on his health. This method is seldom heard of to-day. Rheumatism has also been treated by giving the patient water to drink in which radium gas has been dissolved. Some cases have been benefited in this way, but others have failed to yield to the treatment. The method of utilising radium for curative purposes in general use is !<> place it as accurately as possible ill the position in the body where it is needed. This is done by means of small torpedo-shaped tubes containing cither the mineral itself or radium gas. In cancer cases as many as twenty of these- tubes may be used for a single patient'.

In order to prevent injury to those engaged in the work, the most elaborate precautions are adopted. At the Middlesex Cancer Hospital the quantity of radium available, although of great value, would not fill an ordinary tea spoon. This is kept carefully locked up in a safe, and considerably more than a. ton of lead is used to protect not only those actually engaged in radium and allied work, but people in neighbouring rooms. Scientists who breathe radium gas while dealing with the mineral sometimes suffer from nightmares afterwards.

The precautionary measures adopted are two-fold. In the first place, the obvious danger to the hands of the operator renders it necessary that the tubes containing radium or radium gas should be handled with forceps. The danger of damage to the deeper structures of the body has also to be guarded against. This danger is a most insidious one, since irreparable injury may be caused with no superficial indications whatever. The tubes, whether containing solid radium or gas, tire sealed up under a blow-pipe, and this work is always attended with a certain risk. It may be said, indeed, that but for the precautionary measures that have been devised and insisted on in radium and X-ray work a long list of fatalities would be forthcoming from the use of radium for medical and scientific purposes. But when piecautions are rigidly observed radiological work (‘ati be carried on in safety.