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Nov. 2, 1938.
Dr. L. F. Curtiss,
Bureau of Standards,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Dr. Curtiss:
I think you will be interested in learning of what
we discovered on the various floors here last Monday, which un-
doubtedly explains to a large extent your difficulty in making
satisfactory measurements of gamma activity.
We checked all the traps in the drainage lines and
found nothing of interest. However, on the sixth floor in the
machine shop we discovered three boxes of waste which show an
activity of approximately 3 milligroms. None of us here knew
of the existence of this scrap. According to the statement by
the mechanic in charge of the machine shop, our late Mr. Barker
stored it there temporarily only a few weeks before he left the
office for the Hospital. These boxes were within eight or nine
feet of your instrument when you attempted to make tests in the
paper storage room on the sixth floor, and the only intervening
wall is of thin wood construction. Of course, in the laboratory
and around the freight elevator, also in the hall, you had a little
greater distance, and a heavy permanent constructed hollow tile wall,
which undoubtedly gave some screenage.
On the tenth floor, even though we thought extreme care
had been used in removing all activity, we discovered a package of
painted dials on the opening table near the office and mechanical
shop that contained appr oximately 1/4 milligram activity. Since
your instrument is so delicate, this no doubt had some influence on
your readings in that section of the application room.
You will be pleased to know that the luminous material
cabinet in the weighing room which was discovered to be radioactive
has been replaced with an all-mstal cabinet.
In addition to the ultra-violet light which we propose
to use for detecting any possible dust settlings from the luminous
material or any which may attach to the person of the operator, we
-2-
are purchasing a high-powered vacuum with various small "gadgets"
which will enable us to remove any settlings from corners, cracks,
etc. It is our belief that with the vacuum equipment plus the
ultra-violet detector, thepossibility of unknown amounts of luminous
material being present will be practically eliminated.
We wish to express our appreciation for the assistance
you gave in the inspection of our plant and assure you that in any
future work you can count on our fullest cooperation, since we are
as much interested as you in seeing that our employees work under
approved conditions.
Very truly yours,
CBLee:DK
President
Cys. to:
Dr. Rogers
Commander Stephenson
Miss McMann
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"ocrText": "Nov. 2, 1938.\nDr. L. F. Curtiss,\nBureau of Standards,\nWashington, D. C.\nDear Dr. Curtiss:\nI think you will be interested in learning of what\nwe discovered on the various floors here last Monday, which un-\ndoubtedly explains to a large extent your difficulty in making\nsatisfactory measurements of gamma activity.\nWe checked all the traps in the drainage lines and\nfound nothing of interest. However, on the sixth floor in the\nmachine shop we discovered three boxes of waste which show an\nactivity of approximately 3 milligroms. None of us here knew\nof the existence of this scrap. According to the statement by\nthe mechanic in charge of the machine shop, our late Mr. Barker\nstored it there temporarily only a few weeks before he left the\noffice for the Hospital. These boxes were within eight or nine\nfeet of your instrument when you attempted to make tests in the\npaper storage room on the sixth floor, and the only intervening\nwall is of thin wood construction. Of course, in the laboratory\nand around the freight elevator, also in the hall, you had a little\ngreater distance, and a heavy permanent constructed hollow tile wall,\nwhich undoubtedly gave some screenage.\nOn the tenth floor, even though we thought extreme care\nhad been used in removing all activity, we discovered a package of\npainted dials on the opening table near the office and mechanical\nshop that contained appr oximately 1/4 milligram activity. Since\nyour instrument is so delicate, this no doubt had some influence on\nyour readings in that section of the application room.\nYou will be pleased to know that the luminous material\ncabinet in the weighing room which was discovered to be radioactive\nhas been replaced with an all-mstal cabinet.\nIn addition to the ultra-violet light which we propose\nto use for detecting any possible dust settlings from the luminous\nmaterial or any which may attach to the person of the operator, we\n-2-\nare purchasing a high-powered vacuum with various small \"gadgets\"\nwhich will enable us to remove any settlings from corners, cracks,\netc. It is our belief that with the vacuum equipment plus the\nultra-violet detector, thepossibility of unknown amounts of luminous\nmaterial being present will be practically eliminated.\nWe wish to express our appreciation for the assistance\nyou gave in the inspection of our plant and assure you that in any\nfuture work you can count on our fullest cooperation, since we are\nas much interested as you in seeing that our employees work under\napproved conditions.\nVery truly yours,\nCBLee:DK\nPresident\nCys. to:\nDr. Rogers\nCommander Stephenson\nMiss McMann"
}