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Radon and Radioactivity - Facts and Controversies
Okay, so I'm a history buff with a fascination in chemistry. Put the two together, and you'll find me whipping out my periodic table of elements (which, I'm not going to lie, I carry with me everywhere) and searching for every elemental usage under the sun (or microscope, if you'll excuse the nerdy pun).
Roxie Roulette's recent discussion on 1930's Skincare somehow reeled my mind into remembering some fun facts about Radium. As I had commented on her post; people would put Radium in just about everything in the 1950's. They weren't aware of the consequences then, but they were literally allowing themselves to consume radiation. It was in toothpaste, chocolate, even in the water they drank. It was no wonder they felt so alive and youthful, going on to refer to Radium as "liquid sunshine". It's just so crazy to realize how far we've come since then, and equally as crazy to know that as Pin Up enthusiasts, THAT is the era we idolize most often. Not that it's a bad thing, of course. ;0D
Anywho, I stumbled across this website and figured I'd share. It's basically just a bunch of rather interesting facts mainly about Radium and Radon and their usage in history. It also touches base on some uses of Uranium.
http://www.radonseal.com/radon-facts.htm
It's a lot to read, so for you lazy folks, here are my faves as cited from the link above...
(Note, Radon and radiation are measured in pCi/L or 'picocuries per liter'. As the article goes on to say, 4 pCi/L is roughly the equivalent to smoking 10 cigarettes a day, just so you get the gist of the amounts of radiation that is being talked about in some parts. =0])
--Cigarette smoking accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths. Only poor diet rivals tobacco smoke as a cause of cancer in the U.S., causing a comparable number of fatalities each year. However, the National Cancer Institute, with an annual budget of $500 million, has no active funding for research of radiation from smoking or residential radon as a cause of lung cancer, presumably, to protect the public from "undue fears of radiation."
--In 1984, the scientific world woke up to the existence of radon in homes. A construction engineer triggered radiation alarms while entering the Limerick nuclear power plant near Philadelphia. His home in Boyertown was tested and the radon concentration was a shocking 2,700 pCi/L. The family, including small children, was immediately evacuated. Very high radon levels were also sound in nearby houses. This region, known as the Reading Prong, has low-grade uranium deposits and encompasses parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
--As recently as 1952, LIFE magazine wrote about the beneficial effects of inhaling radioactive radon gas in Montana mines. Even today, people visit the radon-filled mines and report multiple benefits. However, numerous studies have concluded that the only demonstrable health effect of inhaling radon is lung cancer.
--Shortly after its discovery radium was used to make luminous paints. During World War I, hundreds of young women in New York and Illinois were applying the highly radioactive paint to aircraft instrument dials. Radium painting expanded to "glow-in-the-dark" clocks and watches. The young women who applied the paint frequently licked the brush to keep it pointed and their work area was saturated in radon. Suspicions arose in the late 1920's over jaw cancers among the dial painters, as their tragic saga slowly started to unfold. Initially, the plant managers accused the women of bad hygiene. Years later, most of these women died of cancer.
--Medical Life magazine claimed in 1925 that radon treatment cured at least 27 illnesses. Radiation was prescribed for heart trouble, cancer, arthritis, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, blindness, back problems, herpes, bronchial asthma, peptic ulcers, and impotence.
--Back in the late 80's, a client's dog died prematurely. They took it to the vet and x-rays showed the dog died from lung cancer. They then tested their home and found radon concentrations of 150 pCi/l! The owners stated that their dog probably saved their lives.
--Russian "Mafia" assassins allegedly planted pellets emitting gamma rays in the office of a Moscow businessman, killing him within months. At least half a dozen similar incidents have been reported in Russia.
--German scientists recognized already in 1930's, decades ahead of others, that smoking causes lung cancer. Nazis founded the "National Socialist Institute for the Study of the Dangers of Tobacco" with the mission to protect the mankind against one of its most dangerous poisons. Smoking was branded as socially undesirable and was forbidden in many public places. Tobacco advertising was strictly regulated and athletically or sexually oriented cigarette advertising was prohibited. Smokers, who frequently missed work due to sickness, were forced into nicotine withdrawal clinics. Western agents sent to Nazi Germany had to first sand off tobacco stains from their fingers to avoid detection.
Roxie Roulette's recent discussion on 1930's Skincare somehow reeled my mind into remembering some fun facts about Radium. As I had commented on her post; people would put Radium in just about everything in the 1950's. They weren't aware of the consequences then, but they were literally allowing themselves to consume radiation. It was in toothpaste, chocolate, even in the water they drank. It was no wonder they felt so alive and youthful, going on to refer to Radium as "liquid sunshine". It's just so crazy to realize how far we've come since then, and equally as crazy to know that as Pin Up enthusiasts, THAT is the era we idolize most often. Not that it's a bad thing, of course. ;0D
Anywho, I stumbled across this website and figured I'd share. It's basically just a bunch of rather interesting facts mainly about Radium and Radon and their usage in history. It also touches base on some uses of Uranium.
http://www.radonseal.com/radon-facts.htm
It's a lot to read, so for you lazy folks, here are my faves as cited from the link above...
(Note, Radon and radiation are measured in pCi/L or 'picocuries per liter'. As the article goes on to say, 4 pCi/L is roughly the equivalent to smoking 10 cigarettes a day, just so you get the gist of the amounts of radiation that is being talked about in some parts. =0])
--Cigarette smoking accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths. Only poor diet rivals tobacco smoke as a cause of cancer in the U.S., causing a comparable number of fatalities each year. However, the National Cancer Institute, with an annual budget of $500 million, has no active funding for research of radiation from smoking or residential radon as a cause of lung cancer, presumably, to protect the public from "undue fears of radiation."
--In 1984, the scientific world woke up to the existence of radon in homes. A construction engineer triggered radiation alarms while entering the Limerick nuclear power plant near Philadelphia. His home in Boyertown was tested and the radon concentration was a shocking 2,700 pCi/L. The family, including small children, was immediately evacuated. Very high radon levels were also sound in nearby houses. This region, known as the Reading Prong, has low-grade uranium deposits and encompasses parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
--As recently as 1952, LIFE magazine wrote about the beneficial effects of inhaling radioactive radon gas in Montana mines. Even today, people visit the radon-filled mines and report multiple benefits. However, numerous studies have concluded that the only demonstrable health effect of inhaling radon is lung cancer.
--Shortly after its discovery radium was used to make luminous paints. During World War I, hundreds of young women in New York and Illinois were applying the highly radioactive paint to aircraft instrument dials. Radium painting expanded to "glow-in-the-dark" clocks and watches. The young women who applied the paint frequently licked the brush to keep it pointed and their work area was saturated in radon. Suspicions arose in the late 1920's over jaw cancers among the dial painters, as their tragic saga slowly started to unfold. Initially, the plant managers accused the women of bad hygiene. Years later, most of these women died of cancer.
--Medical Life magazine claimed in 1925 that radon treatment cured at least 27 illnesses. Radiation was prescribed for heart trouble, cancer, arthritis, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, blindness, back problems, herpes, bronchial asthma, peptic ulcers, and impotence.
--Back in the late 80's, a client's dog died prematurely. They took it to the vet and x-rays showed the dog died from lung cancer. They then tested their home and found radon concentrations of 150 pCi/l! The owners stated that their dog probably saved their lives.
--Russian "Mafia" assassins allegedly planted pellets emitting gamma rays in the office of a Moscow businessman, killing him within months. At least half a dozen similar incidents have been reported in Russia.
--German scientists recognized already in 1930's, decades ahead of others, that smoking causes lung cancer. Nazis founded the "National Socialist Institute for the Study of the Dangers of Tobacco" with the mission to protect the mankind against one of its most dangerous poisons. Smoking was branded as socially undesirable and was forbidden in many public places. Tobacco advertising was strictly regulated and athletically or sexually oriented cigarette advertising was prohibited. Smokers, who frequently missed work due to sickness, were forced into nicotine withdrawal clinics. Western agents sent to Nazi Germany had to first sand off tobacco stains from their fingers to avoid detection.
Views: 24
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tessa LeTaunt {★} on
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Also, here is a photo of a French advertisement for a line of cosmetics laced with Radium, although I don't know the dates in which this advertisement was ran. "Methode Scientifique de Beaute" meaning "Scientific Method of Beauty".
And the "rejuvenating" Radium chocolate, as mentioned, which was sold in Germany from 1931 to 1936.
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Permalink Reply by Roxie Roulette {★} on
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Wow! Interesting post! I live just outside a radon zone in England and Ireland's covered in it; got to have loads of anti-radon stuff in homes and all that jazz.
I also used to volunteer at a aircraft museum where I live and we had a working Spitfire mkVI complete with the radioactive radium covered dials. When I left they let me sit in the Spitfire (I was so deliriously happy aha!) but I had to get out sharpish because they were so worried about me being infected.
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Permalink Reply by Ellie Monster{★} on
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I love that you are a nerd, I was a double major in Biology and Chemistry....so this post just made my morning <3 ! I have a periodic table handy too....tehehehe.
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Ellie Monster said:I love that you are a nerd, I was a double major in Biology and Chemistry....so this post just made my morning <3 ! I have a periodic table handy too....tehehehe.
I'm jealous, not gunna lie. I start cosmetology school in August, and although I'd like to think of mixing hair product chemicals as being something scientific, it really isn't lol. It's a trade that I'm positive I'll excel in and have fun with in the meantime, but sometime down the road, I *really* want to go to "real" college majoring in Biochemistry, Zoology, and Microbiology, maybe aiming for a bachelors in Biology and Chemistry as well. I've always wanted to be a Zoologist, and just so happen to live not too awfully far from Kansas City's zoo. Either a Zoologist or a Veterinarian. We'll see, lol.
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Oh, and I'm totally paying a visit to Chernobyl sometime before I die. Assuming, of course, that it remains abandoned until then at least.
I must see the amusement park in person. I'll invest in a Hazmat suit if I have to.
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I still need to finish my degree, I'm sooo close. Only one semester left, but the Husband joined the Navy so I have to wait until next fall. Until then baking is as close as I come to chemistry. But my dream is to work in a Crime Lab playing with blood and semen all day. I have thought about becoming a Veterinary Technician cuz I love animals sooo much. But we'll see! Who knows, my mind changes daily.
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Permalink Reply by Shirley Rowe{★} on
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Very interesting. I read it out loud so my husband could hear. He has a degree in Nuclear Engineering with a speciality in Health Physics. If you visit a hospital, ride in an airplane or sunbath, you are exposed to radiation. It is all around us naturally. A power plant has more stringent rules for waste than a hospital. The nuclear medicine department can mix chemo doses in a flask, then wash it in the sink. A nuclear power plant would be fined for that. Many interesting facts out there. What I am really thrilled with right now is that us girley girls can discuss real science right off the top of our heads. Delightful!
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Shirley Rowe{★} said:Very interesting. I read it out loud so my husband could hear. He has a degree in Nuclear Engineering with a speciality in Health Physics. If you visit a hospital, ride in an airplane or sunbath, you are exposed to radiation. It is all around us naturally. A power plant has more stringent rules for waste than a hospital. The nuclear medicine department can mix chemo doses in a flask, then wash it in the sink. A nuclear power plant would be fined for that. Many interesting facts out there. What I am really thrilled with right now is that us girley girls can discuss real science right off the top of our heads. Delightful!
Hehe. It seems we have some smarty pants here on PL. Who knew? =0p
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Permalink Reply by Betty Maraschino {Madam} on
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Woo! this just made my day
I'm a chemistry student (at uni, doing my BSc)
this was a pretty interesting read for a sunday afternoon, not too intense.
and i would love to visit Chernobyl some day soon.
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We should plan a field trip. =0]
Betty Maraschino said:Woo! this just made my day I'm a chemistry student (at uni, doing my BSc)
this was a pretty interesting read for a sunday afternoon, not too intense.
and i would love to visit Chernobyl some day soon.
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Hee hee, haven't been on a field trip for a good 5years lol
Tessa LeTaunt said:We should plan a field trip. =0]
Betty Maraschino said:Woo! this just made my day I'm a chemistry student (at uni, doing my BSc)
this was a pretty interesting read for a sunday afternoon, not too intense.
and i would love to visit Chernobyl some day soon.
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