Letters Received to C.B. Lee, October 13, 1939

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MINNEAPOLIS October 13, 1939 SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY OFFICE OF THE DEAN Mr. C. B. Lee United States Radium Corporation 535 Pearl Street OCT 16 1939 New York City Dear Mr. Lee: This year, as President-Elec of the American Chemical Society, I am making a number of lectures before local sections of the Society in which I wish to refer to the use of radium in the United States. I wonder if you would be so kind as to give me some information about the present status of the luminous paint industry. I have not kept close track of it lately, and wi th the death of Barker and Schlundt, I hear less about it than ever. Is the industry growing, if so, in what directions? Is there an extensive use of luminous paint on airplane dials as there was in the last war? Do you know about how many dials are luminated on any of the planes? Is the use limited to military planes? Do you anticipate that there will be any marked increase in its use on account of the war? Are there any new applications of luminous paint that have come in in the past few years? To what extent do you still use mesothorium instead of radium? You may be interested to know that Dr. R. D. Evans of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology made a count on the radium in my body recently. Direct radiation showed a negative result, but a preliminary exhalation test showed about one-third of a microgram. Dr. Evans is now making a second test. I would not be inclined to regard this amount as dangerous, but they have been dropping the danger limit so rapidly in the past few years, that one cannot feel sure. Dr. Evens recommends that I take the calcium elimination treat- ment. I do not feel the need of it at all, but may decide to do so as a precautionary measure. Are there any recent developments in the precautions that you are taking in that connection. Naturally I will not mention the name of your company in any connection that you do not wish. With best regards. Sincerely yours, S.A.Lind scl/g S. C. Lind, Déan