Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "75727018",
    "label": "Letters Sent to Dr. Herman Schlundt, April 29, 1932",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75727018"
}

{
    "id": "75727018",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75727018",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letters Sent to Dr. Herman Schlundt, April 29, 1932",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75727018",
    "collections": [
        "Safety Light Collection",
        "Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0002629_Page_1.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0002629_Page_1.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0002629_Page_1.jpg",
    "imageCount": 3,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75727018",
    "naId": 75727018,
    "levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 3,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0002629.pdf",
    "mediaId": "752a84f754751777",
    "ocrText": "April 29,1932.\nDr. Herman Schlundt,\nUniversity of Missouri,\nColumbia, Mo.\nDear Dr. Schlundt:\nThanks for calling to our attention the article by Miss Schaub\nin the May Survey Graphic. This had not come to our attention, although I\nhad understood that Miss Schaub was engaged in writing a book.\nWith reference to testing Miss Fryer, Mrs. Hussman and\nMrs. Larice for the abount of radium now contained, I an sure that this could\nbe readily arranged thru our Committee. If during the next few months you\nanticipate being in the Eastern part of the country, and feel that you would\nhave the time to spare I would be glad to arrange for such an examination.\nOur program is such that I don't believe it will be necessary\nfor us to call upon you in a professional way during the next few months.\nBusiness, assyou know, is at a minimum and it has become necessary for us to\nexercise rather drastic measures to reduce our operating expense. We have cut\neverything to the absolute minimum, but even so it may be necessary for us to\nbe even more drastic.\nThe Byers case has quite thoroughly agitated the subject as\nto whether or not there is any efficacy in the use of waters charged with radon.\nThe question seems to be in dispute with most of the people who have been\nassociated with radium recently, such as Martlandt and Flinn disbelieving that\nthere is any merit in such water.\nI presume that you have heard me speak of the North American\nRadium Products Co., sponsored by Mr. John N. VanWolkenten, and type of machine\nwhich they are putting out. The machine is doubtless the most unique of any\nthat has ever been put on the market, and contains sufficient radium to deliver\n7 to 8 thousand Mache Units daily in four glasses of water. These people have\nexpended a considerable amount of money in the development of their organiza-\ntion and apparatus, and are earnestly endeavoring to carry on under a great\nhandicap.\nMr. VanWolkenten is anxious to have some experiments conducted\nto determine the effect of cultures when exposed to radon and also when they\nare exposed to radium element. I don't know whether his idea is altogether\npractical, but he has discussed same with Dr. Flinn, and I have strongly advised\nhis not having the work conducted by Dr. Flinn for the following reasons:\nPage -2-\n1. Dr. Flinn has gone out of his way to seek publicity in this\nentire matter, largely on account of jealousy of Martlandt's position. I don't\nbelieve either one of them are thoroughly sound in the basic principles of\nradioactivity. I have quite definite evidence of this from one or two of\nmy recent conferences with Dr. Flinn, in which he has displayed astounding\nlack of information.\n2. I believe that Dr. Flinn is biased in regard to the use of radon,\nlike many others he has been quite thoroughly impressed with the hazards connect-\ned with the deposit of radium element in the system, and is inclined to feel\nthat there may also be a similar danger connected with the ingestion of radon.\n3. I doubt whether Dr. Flinn has had enough experience with cultures\nto properly recommend the manner in which they should be subjected to either\nradon or radium element. This point we have evidence on from the last confer-\nence or two that we have had with him.\nIn the event that you have facilities for conducting experiments\nalong this line at the University, I am sure that Mr. Van Wolkenten would be\nglad to give you his entire cooperation as well as supply whatever type of\napparatus you might require.\nWhile there is some question in my mind as to the dosage of radon\nwhich one should ingest for beneficial effects, nevertheless I do believe that\nthere are benefits to be derived from the ingestion of a proper amount.\nDr. Robert Monnery has examined clinically a number of patients\ngiven water charged with radom at the Municipal Hospital in Paris, and the\nresults of Dr. Monnery's tests, which were conducted in conjunction with\nProf. Rathery, have been published in pamphlet form under the caption of\n\"Radon (Radium Emanation) and Chronic Rheumatism\", by L'EXPANSION SCIENTIFIQUE\nFRANCAISE, 23, Rue du Cherche-Midi - Paris, 1931. This is rather a volumin-\nous pamphlet, of which I have a translation only. I am sure that you will\nfind this pamphlet a valuable addition to your literature upon this general\nsubject.\nSincerely yours,\nVice President.\nHHBarker:RH"
}