Radioactivity

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Radioactivity

• These days the words Radiation and Radioactivity
  often evoke fear.

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• . but it was not always so

Revigator (ca. 1920-1925) Intended to add
radioactivity to drinking water.
Advertised by the company as "an original radium
ore patented water crock," it sold in the
hundreds of thousands between 1920 and the
mid-1930s.
As a company brochure stated, "Results overcome
doubts." "The millions of tiny rays that are
continuously given off by this ore penetrate the
water and form this great HEALTH
ELEMENT--RADIO-ACTIVITY. All the next day the
family is provided with two gallons of real,
healthful radioactive water . . . nature's way to
health."
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Standard Radium Solution for Drinking (ca. 1915
- 1920)
The label accurately claims that it contained two
micrograms of radium element. This would equate
to two microcuries of radium-226. the amount of
radium-228 would be somewhat less.
According to the advertisement it would help with
"Subacute and Chronic Joint and Muscular
Conditions. High Blood Pressure. Nephritis. The
Simple and Pernicious Anemias."
Other fine products from the company "Standard"
Radium Solution for Intravenous Use "in ampulles
of 2 cc. N.P.S.S. containing 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100
micrograms element" and the "Standard" Radium
Compress."
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there was Radium Bread
Envelopes for radium bread produced by the
Hippmann-Blach bakery located in St. Joachimstal
(Jachymov, now part of the Czech Republic).
Joachimstal is sometimes referred to as the
"Cradle of the Atomic Age". The envelope above
left, written in German, indicates that radium
water from Joachimstal was used in the production
of the bread ("Unter Zusatz von St. Joachimstaler
Radiumwasser" )
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.. And thoriated toothpaste
Doramad Radioactive Toothpaste (ca. 1940-1945)
What Does Doramad Do? Its radioactive radiation
increases the defences of teeth and gums. The
cells are loaded with new life energy, the
bacteria are hindered in their destroying effect.
This explains the excellent prophylaxis and
healing process with gingival diseases. It gently
polishes the dental enamel so it turns white and
shiny. Prevents dental calculus. Wonderful lather
and a new, pleasant, mild and refreshing taste.
Can be applied sparingly.
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Radioactivity impressed people because of the
energy it involved with the suggestion that
that energy could be imparted to people just by
consuming a radioactive material.
The word Radium in particular was widely
associated with products to imply that they were
healthy and good ( rather like the use of
natural or organic today ! )
All the previous products were radioactive but
many just used the word Radium as part of their
name, such was the attraction of radioactivity
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Of those items which did contain radium I find
this one of the most scary
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Through the 1930s most of these products
disappeared from the market as scientific
knowledge about radioactivity became more
widespread. Some radiation sources remained in
more or less unrestricted use until much later
Shoe-Fitting Fluoroscope
First placed in show stores in the early 1920s
they remained in use in the UK until the 1970s.
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Though attitudes to radiation became more
suspicious from the 1930s, the atomic era
beginning with the detonation of the atomic bomb
in 1945 brought (in some circles) new glamour to
atomic and radioactive
"Dagwood Splits the Atom" was an educational
"freebee" produced in 1949 by King Features
Syndicate. Dagwood, with help from his wife
Blondie, Mandrake the Magician, and Popeye
explains atomic structure and how to create a
chain reaction. General Leslie Groves, who headed
up the Manhattan Project, provides the
introduction, and at the end there is a multiple
choice quiz, e.g., "What is changing into helium
and producing atomic energy in the sun? protons,
neutrons, hydrogen, infra-red light."
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In the past 25 years accidents such as Three
Mile Island and Chernobyl, as well as incidents
of contamination of steel scrap with Cobalt-60
via recycled medical radiation equipment, have
drastically changed public perceptions of
radiation and radioactivity.
Beneficial uses of radiation ( e.g. in medicine )
dont have the same impact as the fear factor.
Whats important is that students gain accurate
scientific knowledge about radioactivity and
radiation, with as much practical input as
possible.
All images from Oak Ridge Associated Universities
(ORAU) Health Physics Historical Instrumentation
Museum Collection at http//www.orau.org/ptp/museu
mdirectory.htm