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UNIVERSITY OF missouri
COLUMBIA
September 15, 1930
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
SEP 17 1930
Mr. H. H. Barker
U. S. Radium Corporation
535 Pearl Street
New York, New York
My dear Barker:
The very definite negative character of the
gamma ray tests on Mrs. Metz by the last examination makes
it very probable that the expired air test would have been
negative too; but the first examination in 1929 gave a value
of 1.3ng for the gamma ray test, a value I consider within
the limits of error of the Wulf-Hess instrument. Likewise
the expired air test was positive, 1.5 ug and we reported
2 to 3ug total activity. Such results open a suspicion of
radioactivity but the reported value I consider within the
limit of error of the instruments under the experimental
conditions which obtained at the time we made the test in
February, 1929.
Upon careful reflection, here is my conclusion:
It seems to me there is too much at stake to go on record
with a statement that Mrs. Metz is not active, or the test
was negative', or she is not a radium case, or some other phrase
of this kind. For if it should turn out that Mrs. Metz by ex-
pired air test shows even slight activity, then all tests for
radioactivity on other subjects which I have made would be
questioned. Or, let us assume another possibility, namely,
that it leaked out that the expired air tests made this summer
were of no value, then our testimony would be worthless and
perhaps damaging to not only this case, but all others.
I am therefore hoping that some plan can be
devised which will eliminate all doubt, and keep us all ab-
solutely on the high road of safety.
I am writing to Dr. Flinn today to get his
suggestion as to what we can do to rectify the blunder we
have made. The blame for the thing rests largely on me.
I shall write Smith and Markley that the
part of our report dealing with Mrs. Metz can not be con-
sidered final.
Sincerely yours,
Herman SchhungH
Herman Schlundt
HS:AS
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"ocrText": "UNIVERSITY OF missouri\nCOLUMBIA\nSeptember 15, 1930\nDEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY\nSEP 17 1930\nMr. H. H. Barker\nU. S. Radium Corporation\n535 Pearl Street\nNew York, New York\nMy dear Barker:\nThe very definite negative character of the\ngamma ray tests on Mrs. Metz by the last examination makes\nit very probable that the expired air test would have been\nnegative too; but the first examination in 1929 gave a value\nof 1.3ng for the gamma ray test, a value I consider within\nthe limits of error of the Wulf-Hess instrument. Likewise\nthe expired air test was positive, 1.5 ug and we reported\n2 to 3ug total activity. Such results open a suspicion of\nradioactivity but the reported value I consider within the\nlimit of error of the instruments under the experimental\nconditions which obtained at the time we made the test in\nFebruary, 1929.\nUpon careful reflection, here is my conclusion:\nIt seems to me there is too much at stake to go on record\nwith a statement that Mrs. Metz is not active, or the test\nwas negative', or she is not a radium case, or some other phrase\nof this kind. For if it should turn out that Mrs. Metz by ex-\npired air test shows even slight activity, then all tests for\nradioactivity on other subjects which I have made would be\nquestioned. Or, let us assume another possibility, namely,\nthat it leaked out that the expired air tests made this summer\nwere of no value, then our testimony would be worthless and\nperhaps damaging to not only this case, but all others.\nI am therefore hoping that some plan can be\ndevised which will eliminate all doubt, and keep us all ab-\nsolutely on the high road of safety.\nI am writing to Dr. Flinn today to get his\nsuggestion as to what we can do to rectify the blunder we\nhave made. The blame for the thing rests largely on me.\nI shall write Smith and Markley that the\npart of our report dealing with Mrs. Metz can not be con-\nsidered final.\nSincerely yours,\nHerman SchhungH\nHerman Schlundt\nHS:AS"
}