Radium Emanation, or radon
Radium Emanation, or radon, is a radioactive gas pro¬ceeding from acidulated radium salt solution (radium salts being bromide, carbonate, chloride, and sulphate). It seems to settle on other substances as “an infinitely fine powder,” thus imparting to them temporary radioactive properties. It has a small amount of alpha-ray and gamma-ray activity. An Emanatorium is an institution where radioactive waters are drunk and radium emanations inhaled for the treatment of disease—usually with meager results.
There have been exploited so-called radioactive substancesfor prophylactic or curative purposes. Some of these con¬sist of so-called radioactive earth or stones, to be placed in jars (also said to be radioactive), in which water for drinking purposes is placed. After standing in these jars for a time, the water is supposed to have become radioactive and to have some of the properties of radium in small doses. The effect is said to be that of stimulating cell activity and general meta¬bolism. Clay or other earths said to be radioactive are placed in containers of chamois or other soft material for application to various parts of the body. The supposed emanations, pre¬sumably, are expected to penetrate to the seat of trouble, wherever that may be. If there is any radioactive substance in the rocks or the earths used, it will have the effect of impart¬ing limited radioactive property to other substances. But many of these articles or substances are totally lacking in radio¬active properties, or the radioactivity is so insignificant that no biological effect can be produced by it.