Letters Sent to Dr. Harlan S. Miner, June 29, 1925

June 29, 1925. Dr. Harlan S. Miner, %/O Welsbach Company, Gloucester, N. J. Dear Dr. Miner: I think that the New Jersey Department of Labor is looking for information regarding Radium and Nesothorium, etc. from sources independent and not associated with the U. S. Redium Corporation, and I think that the Department should receive all the information that is available. There is doubtless a great deal of technical information of a chemical and physical nature that could be secured from publications. The effect of these elements on the humon body is something about which I believe not very mich has been written. The Department is probably particularly interested in cases of jay necrosis that have been reported in operators formerly working with luminous material. As you have seen by the papers, some people out of hand place the responsibility with Radium or tesothorium or both. While there are probably very fow cases of pernicious anemia amongst Radium worlcers on record, there seems to be a belief that such a condition might be brought about through over-exposure. I do not see how this would have a bearing on painting watch and clock dials with luminous material because in this case the amounts handled are exceedingly small and one would naturally consider this occupation similar to mimite dosage of Radium or Mesothorium if any, and class it with the intravenous use of these elements. There is some literature on the intravenous use of Radium, Mesothorium, Polonium, and other radioactive elements for therapeutic purposes. I saw Commissioner McBride and Mr. Roach the other day. They asiced me the difference between Radium and Mesothorium. I replied that very little was lonom about Nesothorium as an element, but that it was always treated in terms of a unit equivalent to a milligram of Radium Element. That I thought that it had been established that the gamma ray of Nesothoriom was about six per cent more penetrating than the gemma ray of Radium. If I had been prepared for the question, I should have added that when used for maling luminous paint, the activity is reflected in luminosity and I believed that a luminous material with say twenty micro- lamberts of surface brilliancy would have the same alpha activity whether Radium vere used or Mesothorium were used. Since you come to New York quite often, it might be very wise to stop in at the Department of Labor some time to see Mr. Roach and also Dr. MeBride if he is available. They could then tell you more (Continued)