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0 THE DETECTION AND ESTIMATION OF RADIUM AND MESOTHORIUM IN LIVING PERSONS by Frederick B. Flinn (1), Howard H. Barker (2), and Herman Schlundt (3) PEELIMINARY REPORT INTRODUCTION The ionizing power of alpha particles emitted from radioactive substances has become the means of detecting and estimating extremely minute quantities of radium and other radioactive elements. For example, a single alpha parti- cle emitted from radium C produces fully two hundred and twenty thousand (2.2 X 105, pairs of ions along its path in air over its range of nearly 7 centi- meters. By means of sensitive electrometers or calibrated electroscopes the very feeble ionization currents resulting from the emission of even a small number of alpha particles may be accurately measured, and made the basis for de- termining quantitatively the amount of the radioactive substance present in the sam- ple of material under investigation. The finest of assay balances would be taxed to its limit in detecting differences in weight of one microgram, but by means of calibrated electroscope an experienced operator can determine quantitatively one millionth of a microgram of radium- a micro-micro gram yupg or To make this quantitative determinationsof such extremely small quantities of radium, the amanation in equilibrium with the radium in the material under malyais is separated, collected, and transferred to the ionization chamber of a electroscope. From the observed increase in the rate of discharge indicated by the fall of the charged leaf system-- tibese smell anounts of radium may be determined. 1. Professor, of Public Health, Columbia University, New York 2- Dalted States Badium Corporation, New York 3 Professon of University of Missouri, Columbie, Missouri )