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recognized precautions were not observed. Secondly, our present experience
indicates that the sensitiveness of the expired air test is of the same
order of magnitude as the gamma ray test, and that we have never found a
patient active by one method where we did not find her active by the other.
It is our understanding that the man who did the work for the Department in
the field was of the opinion that the gamma ray test was far more roliable
than the expired air, and he, therefore, paid little or no attention to the
expired air test - in fact patients whom he classified as suspicious or
slightly active by the gamma ray method he did not check by the expired air,
which in our opinion is highly essential to arrive at a definite conclusion
where the amount is exceedingly small. Furthermore, it is our understanding
that the representative of the Department has reported or found patients to
be active who have never been associated with radium application work.
Also
that he reported a girl, who has been engaged in the application of luminous
material, activated with radium, to contain mesothorium. The history of the
material used in this plant, and the period of employment of the girl indicates
that she never applied luminous material containing any activating agent other
than radium. When this fact was called to his attention, he retraced his
steps and said that he believed that the activity was due to radium, and upon
a second exemination found no mesothorium.
I have personally gone over and examined the data collected by
Dr. Flinn on the tests of practically all of these girls, and these tests show
a few girls to be unquestionably active, but the variation in the values
collected on the remainder quite clearly indicate the probably range of error
in this work as conducted.
Assume for the moment that we could indicate a negative amount of
radium and interpret his results in terms of micrograms from the constant of the
instrument as computed by the Department of Health, in cooperation with
Dr. Fialla of the Memorial Hospital. It is observed that Dr. Flinn finds in
cases which he believes to be negative, as a result of repeated tests, values
ranging from 1 .8 to negative .8 micrograms. This data rather conclusively proves
to me that it would be very dangerous to call any patient active who contained
less than 1 microgram of radium element.
I am enclosing a couple of reprints dealing with the subject of messure-
ments of radioactivity in living persons.
Hope that any time you are in the Metropolitan area we may have the
pleasure of a visit with you.
With kind regards, I an
Sincerely yours,
hHBarker:RH
enclosures
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"ocrText": "-2-\nrecognized precautions were not observed. Secondly, our present experience\nindicates that the sensitiveness of the expired air test is of the same\norder of magnitude as the gamma ray test, and that we have never found a\npatient active by one method where we did not find her active by the other.\nIt is our understanding that the man who did the work for the Department in\nthe field was of the opinion that the gamma ray test was far more roliable\nthan the expired air, and he, therefore, paid little or no attention to the\nexpired air test - in fact patients whom he classified as suspicious or\nslightly active by the gamma ray method he did not check by the expired air,\nwhich in our opinion is highly essential to arrive at a definite conclusion\nwhere the amount is exceedingly small. Furthermore, it is our understanding\nthat the representative of the Department has reported or found patients to\nbe active who have never been associated with radium application work.\nAlso\nthat he reported a girl, who has been engaged in the application of luminous\nmaterial, activated with radium, to contain mesothorium. The history of the\nmaterial used in this plant, and the period of employment of the girl indicates\nthat she never applied luminous material containing any activating agent other\nthan radium. When this fact was called to his attention, he retraced his\nsteps and said that he believed that the activity was due to radium, and upon\na second exemination found no mesothorium.\nI have personally gone over and examined the data collected by\nDr. Flinn on the tests of practically all of these girls, and these tests show\na few girls to be unquestionably active, but the variation in the values\ncollected on the remainder quite clearly indicate the probably range of error\nin this work as conducted.\nAssume for the moment that we could indicate a negative amount of\nradium and interpret his results in terms of micrograms from the constant of the\ninstrument as computed by the Department of Health, in cooperation with\nDr. Fialla of the Memorial Hospital. It is observed that Dr. Flinn finds in\ncases which he believes to be negative, as a result of repeated tests, values\nranging from 1 .8 to negative .8 micrograms. This data rather conclusively proves\nto me that it would be very dangerous to call any patient active who contained\nless than 1 microgram of radium element.\nI am enclosing a couple of reprints dealing with the subject of messure-\nments of radioactivity in living persons.\nHope that any time you are in the Metropolitan area we may have the\npleasure of a visit with you.\nWith kind regards, I an\nSincerely yours,\nhHBarker:RH\nenclosures"
}