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June 29, 1925.
Dr. Harlan S. Miner,
c/o Welsbach Company,
Gloucester,
N. J.
Dear Dr. Miner:
I think that the New Jersey Department of Labor is looking
for information regarding Radium and Mesothorium, etc. from sources
independent and not associated with the U. S. Radium Corporation, and I
think that the Department should receive all the information that is
available. There is doubtless a great deal of technical information of
a chemical and physical nature that could be secured from publications.
The effect of these elements on the human body is something about which I
believe not very much has been written.
The Department is probably particularly interested in cases
of jaw necrosis that have been reported in operators formerly working with
luminous material. As you have seen by the papers, some people out of
hand place the responsibility with Radium or Mesothorium or both.
While there are probably very few cases of pernicious anemia
amongst Radium workers on record, there seems to be a belief that such a
condition might be brought about through over-exposure. I do not see how
this would have a bearing on painting watch and clock dials with luminous
material because in this case the amounts handled are exceedingly small
and one would naturally consider this occupation similar to minute dosage
of Radium or Mesothorium if any, and class it with the intravenous use of
these elements. There is some literature on the intravenous use of Radium,
Mesothorium, Polonium, and other radioactive elements for therapeutic
purposes.
I saw Commissioner McBride and Mr. Roach the other day.
They asked me the difference between Radium and Mesothorium. I replied
that very little was known about Mesothorium as an element, but that it was
always treated in terms of a unit equivalent to a milligram of Radium
Element. That I thought that it had been established that the gamma ray
of Mesothorium was about six per cent more penetrating than the gamma ray
of Radium. If I had been prepared for the question, I should have
added that when used for making luminous paint, the activity is reflected in
luminosity and I believed that a luminous material with say twenty micro-
lamberts of surface brilliancy would have the same alpha activity whether
Radium were used or Mesothorium were used.
Since you come to New York quite often, it might be very wise
to stop in at the Department of Labor some time to see Mr. Roach and also
Dr. McBride if he is available. They could then tell you more
(Continued)
Dr. Harlan S. Miner.
- 2 -
specifically what sort of information they would like to have.
I am returning enclosed the letter to you by Mr. Reach
dated June 24 and sent along with your letter of the 26th.
Hope the above will be helpful to you.
Cordially,
President.
ARoeder-HM
and
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"ocrText": "June 29, 1925.\nDr. Harlan S. Miner,\nc/o Welsbach Company,\nGloucester,\nN. J.\nDear Dr. Miner:\nI think that the New Jersey Department of Labor is looking\nfor information regarding Radium and Mesothorium, etc. from sources\nindependent and not associated with the U. S. Radium Corporation, and I\nthink that the Department should receive all the information that is\navailable. There is doubtless a great deal of technical information of\na chemical and physical nature that could be secured from publications.\nThe effect of these elements on the human body is something about which I\nbelieve not very much has been written.\nThe Department is probably particularly interested in cases\nof jaw necrosis that have been reported in operators formerly working with\nluminous material. As you have seen by the papers, some people out of\nhand place the responsibility with Radium or Mesothorium or both.\nWhile there are probably very few cases of pernicious anemia\namongst Radium workers on record, there seems to be a belief that such a\ncondition might be brought about through over-exposure. I do not see how\nthis would have a bearing on painting watch and clock dials with luminous\nmaterial because in this case the amounts handled are exceedingly small\nand one would naturally consider this occupation similar to minute dosage\nof Radium or Mesothorium if any, and class it with the intravenous use of\nthese elements. There is some literature on the intravenous use of Radium,\nMesothorium, Polonium, and other radioactive elements for therapeutic\npurposes.\nI saw Commissioner McBride and Mr. Roach the other day.\nThey asked me the difference between Radium and Mesothorium. I replied\nthat very little was known about Mesothorium as an element, but that it was\nalways treated in terms of a unit equivalent to a milligram of Radium\nElement. That I thought that it had been established that the gamma ray\nof Mesothorium was about six per cent more penetrating than the gamma ray\nof Radium. If I had been prepared for the question, I should have\nadded that when used for making luminous paint, the activity is reflected in\nluminosity and I believed that a luminous material with say twenty micro-\nlamberts of surface brilliancy would have the same alpha activity whether\nRadium were used or Mesothorium were used.\nSince you come to New York quite often, it might be very wise\nto stop in at the Department of Labor some time to see Mr. Roach and also\nDr. McBride if he is available. They could then tell you more\n(Continued)\nDr. Harlan S. Miner.\n- 2 -\nspecifically what sort of information they would like to have.\nI am returning enclosed the letter to you by Mr. Reach\ndated June 24 and sent along with your letter of the 26th.\nHope the above will be helpful to you.\nCordially,\nPresident.\nARoeder-HM\nand"
}