US1470027A - Method and apparatus for absorbing radium emanation - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9 1923. 1,470,027

H. B. PALMER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING RADIUM EMANATION Original Filed March 9, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet l I a P EH J IE 2 35 Z i Eli-1 23? we 19 3121?: i 10 :5 {i a i? f 15 3331; awn 140130 Oct. 9, 1923.

H. B. PALMER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING RADIUM EMANATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 9 1920 Illllllllllilllllll avwe/wtm Oct. 9 1923.

H. B. PALMER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING RADIUM EMANATION Original Filed March 9, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,410,027 Fries.

PATENT HARRY 1B. PALMER, OF MOBRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING RADIUM. EMANATION.

Application filed March 9, 1920, Serial No. 364,446. Renewed March 1, 1928.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Morristown, county of Morris, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Absorbing Radium Emanation,

of whichthe following is a specification.

Thi invention relates to apparatus for absorbing emanations from radio active substances. 1

One object is to provide an improved process and apparatus for impregnating air and water with the emanation given 0 by a solution of a radium salt. A further objet-tv is to produce an apparatus which may be employed for therapeutical uses and in which the radium emanation may be readily, efiicientl-y and cheaplyabsorbed. A further object is to provide an apparatus and process which will enable the absorption of emanation to be under complete control of the operator at all times, and which will also enable a solution of emanations of any desired strength to be produced.

Recent discoverieshave shown that the emanation given off by radium, and other radio active materials may be employed in many ways for curative purposes. In fact it has recently been found that the natural rejuvenating mineral springs, such as the Carlsbad at Baden-Baden, owe their remarkable curative properties principally to the radio active emanations contained in the water and in the vapors. The remarkable therapeutic value of the natural rejuvenating springs has led to the use of artificially prepared radio active water and vapors.

The treatment with radium emanation is an important branch of radium theraphy 1. Alpha rays (positively charged helium particles).

2. Beta rays (negatively charged electrons).

3. Gamma rays (ether vibrations).

4. Radium emanation (a heavy radioacactive water and air charged with radium emanation for skin diseases probably arises partly from the fact that the emanation electrically charges the cutaneous nerves (particularly at the nerve endings) the amount of this electrical effect will of course depend somewhat upon the strength of the radioactive water or air. The exactstrength required for any-particular medical use will naturally vary somewhat according to the circumstances and may be determined easily by a few simple experiments. I will now proceed to describe one of the many forms in which my invention may be practiced.

Figure l of the drawings shows a front sectional view of a preferred form of emanation absorber.

Figure 2 shows a side sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a side view partly in section of a slightly modified form of construction.

Figure 4 is a side view of another modified form of my invention showing the manner of operation for producing radio active baths.

Referring now to the apparatus disclose in Figures 1 and 2, the casingv lformed of enameled metal or the like is shown as containing a radium bulb 2, upon one side containing an aqueous solution of a radium salt such as radium bromide and a potash bulb 3 at the other side containing a solution of caustic alkali (sodium or potassium hydroxide). Arranged between the radium tube 2 and the potash bulb 3 s the air tank 4 containing a bell jar 5 whlch is adapted to be filled with air and float upon the water in the bottom of the jar. In order to cause collects slowly in the top of the when the desired quantityv has air to bubble through the solution of the radio active material contained in the radium bulb 2' to remove the emanation, I provide a reciprocating pump 6 adapted to be operated by hand. This pump is provided with a. having a hand 9 which may be readily grasped by the hand whenever it is desired to operate the pump. The piston fits in the cylinder 10 and in operation When the piston 7 is moved inwardly, air will be drawn from the atmosphere through the perforated stopper 11 of the flash 12, down through the tube 13, up through the alkali solution 14 in the potash bulb 3.

In' its passage through the alkali solution all carbon dioxide gas which is con-.

tained in the air, will be entirely removed .by absorption, thus preventing any possibility of contamination of the radium tion with carbonates. d

vThe purifiedair, after passing through the tube 3 is then drawn through the glass pipe 15, through the two-way valve 16 into soluthe pipe 17; through the check valve 18,

the pump 6, and valve 19 and is forced through the pipe 20 and into the outer casing 21 of the radium bulb 2. From this outer casing 21 the purified air is caused to bubble up through a solution of radium salt (preferably radium chloride) contained in the bulb 2. The flask 22 hermetically closed at I the top by the glass stopper 23 .is provided with a depending tube 24 which dips into the radium solution 25. In pass ing through, the radium solution of the air ta es up a certain amount of the gaseous emanation as well as small quantities of the helium which is also being continuously emitted. The air upon leaving the radium bulb 2 is pumped through the pipe 26, the two-wa valve 26, pipes 27 and 28, into the bel jar 5, a check valve 29 being positioned at the endof the pipe 28.

Upon entering the bell jar 5, the air and emanation, bubbles up through the column of water contained in the bell 'ar 5 and ll jar 5. As the air accumulates the bell 'ar rises and en collected, (which may be determined by'reference to the scale 31 located within the tank 4) the pumpin is discontinued} The two-way valve 16 is t en turned through 90", so that the. central passage is vertical instead of horizontal and the air, which has been collected" in the receiver is then repumped through the radium solution for the purpose of absorbingflthe last traces of the emanation. The flow of air during this process may be traced as follows: from the top of the bell jar 5 down through the vertical pipe 32, the pipe 33, through the valve 16, 34, and into the pipe 17.

1P The flow o? the air from this point through piston 7 and piston rod 8.

the pump 6 etc. is exactly the same as has already been described above. After all of the emanation which can be absorbed has been completely removed by the air froin the radium solution, it may be desirable to continue bubbling the air through the water. i in the tank in order to remove the last traces of said emanation from the air. When this is to be done, the two-way valve 26 will be turned-through a right angle and the air Will then be pumped in the following course: from bell jar 5 through thepipes 32 and 33 through the valve 16, pipe 34, pipe 17, through pump 6, the pipe 20, pipe 35, valve 26, pipe 36, pipe 28 and into the bell jar as before.

' After the radium emanation has been completely absorbed from the air by the water in the tank, the radio active waten may be stored in saidtank until it is de- I sired to usethe' same forbathing or drinks ing. -To withdraw the radio active water from the tank the valve 37 may be opened to allow the water to flow of! into the, a"

receptacle 38. If desired, a drinking glass:-2Q; f

ma be employed as the receptacle; he following example will illustrate the proportions of ingredients which may be used in carrying out the absorption of emanation by the device shown in Figures 1 and 2: About 30 cc. of a solution of radium 1 chloride containing 5- u 'cr0grams in 50% equilibrium was placegtin the radium bulb 2'; and an equal quantityiof a 10% solution of sodium hydroxide was] placed in the a1- kali tube 3. The bell jar 5 contained about one-half litre of water. By equilibrium of the radium chloride solution, I mean. a solution where the radium salts are emitting emanation at the same rate as the emanation itself is decaying. The following table shows the timerequired for'a radium solution, from which the emanation has been completely absorbed, to recover its equilibrium. Y no .Per cent equilibrium Time. recovered. 1 hour Q75 3 hours 2.23 n5 1 day i 16.47 4 days -51.32 IOdays 83.47 30-d-ays 99.55

In this was pumped through the radium solution at such a rate that all the emanation was completely removed in 10 or 15 minutes. The valve 16 was then operated and the air was then bubbled through the water in the tank for 10 minutes longer.. Tests of the resulting radio active water in the tank were then made and- "it was found that the stren h or activity almost exactly 1 of this Water corresponde to that of the famous Carlsbad -hot baths.

As will be evident when using applicants invention the strength of the radio active water in the tank may be readily controlled not only by varying the strength and amount of the radium solution in the bulb 2, but also by varying the rate and duration of flow of air through the apparatus. To produce the best results for any particular set of conditions it may be necessary to make a few simple experiments.

It will be evident that instead of using the radioactive water for drinking or bathing, it may be desired, for some therapeutic purposes. to inhale the air which collects in the bell jar above the water. In such a case the last traces of emanation contained in the air are not removed therefrom but are allowed to remain. To inhale the radio active air the stop cock 34 is opened and the rubber tube having a mouth piece (not shown) upon its other end, is then placed in the patients mouth, whereupon any desired amount of the air in the bell jar may be readily inhaled.

l will now proceed to describe the modi fiedform of my apparatus shown in Figure 3. This form of absorbing apparatus is provided with the casing 39 preferably of enameled metal or the like. Within the casing is located the radium. bulb 40, below which is the potash bulb 41. Atmospheric air is drawn through the perforated stopper 42 into the outer chamber 43 of the radium oxide. The airthen passes through the pipe 46,'the two-way valve 47, the pipe 48,

to the reciprocating pump 49 which may be operated by hand. From the pump 49, the air passes through the pipe 50, into the flask 51v and through the pipe 52 which dips below the surface of the radium solution 53. The emanation laden air coming from the radium bulb 40 is then caused to pass into the pipe 54 and into the collecting vessel 55. As the air collects in the top of the collecting vessel 55, an equal column of the water is forced up through the pipe 56 rising in the flask 57. The operation of the apparatus is continued until the level of the liquid in the collecting vessel 55 has reached a predetermined pointon the scale 58. At this time, the pumpin is stopped, the twoway valve 49 is turne through 90, and the pumping is continued to remove the last traces of emanation from the radium solution exactly as has been described above in reference to the operation of the device in Figures 1 and 2. If desired, after the radium emanation has been completely absorbed by the water in the collecting vessel 55, this radiumized water may be transferred to the drinking glass 59 or other receptacles by operating the valve 60.'

I will now proceed to describe the appathrough the emanation absorbing apparatus in a manner similar to that described above in connection withthe operation of Figures 1 to 3. The potash bulb 66 is located below the radium bulb 67 as in'the similar apparatus in Figure 3, already described.

In operation, the faucet is first turned on and the water adjusted to the proper temperature. The valve 67 at the lower end of the radium apparatus is then opened and the aspirator 64 will then automatically suck air and emanation through the potash bulb and radium bulb of the apparatus, and the emanation will be absorbed from the air by the water as" it flows into the tub. The course of the air may be traced as follows: through the perforated glass stopper 68, outer chamber 69, the tube 70 and then into potash or soda solution 71 where the carbon dioxide is removed.

The purified air is then drawn through the pipe 72, through the fiask 73, the pipe 74 and throughthe radium solution 75. From this point the radiumized air flows throu h the pipe 76 through the valve 67 into t e flexible rubber tube 77, shown partly broken away, and into the side tube 78 of the aspirator 64. To control the strength of the radiumized water flowing into the bath tub it is merely necessary to adjust the faucet 65, the valve67, and the concentration and quantity of the radium chloride solution in the radium bulb 67.

In the operation of this apparatus, much ofthe emanation remains in a vapor condition, and does not dissolve in the water in the bottom of the tub. A cover 79 is provided upon the top of the tub 63 in order to prevent the escape of this radio active vapor and to cause the vapors to remain longer in contact with the patient being treated in the air space above the water in" the tub.

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific examples herein disclosed but that it may be practiced in various other ways within the general scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The process of absorbing radio active emauations from radio active matter, which comprises dissolving the radio active matter, passing a gas through a column of a solution of caustic alkali to remove carbon dioxide from said gas, passing the purified gas through a column of the radio active solution and then passing said gas through a column of water -to absorb the emanation from said gas.

2. The process of producing an aqueous solution containing radium emanation which comprises pumpinga small portion of atmospheric air through a solution of caustic alkali and then through a solution of a radium salt, collecting said air and recirculating it through the solution of the radium salt to completely absorb the emanation from said salt, bringing said. air into intimate contact with the water to absorb the emanation therefrom, and recirculating said air through said water until the water has completely absorbed emanation from said air.

3. In an apparatus for impregnating fluids with radium emanation, a receptacle containing caustic alkaln'a receptacle 'containing a solution of radio active salt, a receptacle containing water, and means for pumping air from the atmosphere through the caustic alkali, the radium solution, and the water in succession.

4. In an apparatus for impregnating water ,with radium emanation, a casing, a receptacle containing caustic alkali, a receptacle containing radium solution, a receptacle containing water and a reciprocating pump for causing air to flow fromthe atmosphere through said caustic alkali, radium solution, and water in succession. I

5. In an apparatus for impregnating fluids with radium emanation, a receptacle containing caustic alkali, a receptacle containing 'radium solution, a receptacle containing water, means for, forcing air through said alkali, radium solution and water in succession, means for collecting the air subsequent to its passage through said water, and means for causing the collected air to pass through only the radium solution and the'water,

6. In an'apparatus for impregnating fluids with radium emanation, a receptacle containing caustic alkali, a receptacle containing a solution of radioactive salt, a receptacle containing water, means for drawing air through said solutions and the water in succession, and for absorbing the emanation carried by said air by continuously flowing said air inltoo a stream of water flowing into a bath tu l I 7. In an apparatus for impregnating fluids with radium emanation, a receptacle con- 8. The process of producing an aqueous solution containing radium emanation which comprises passing air through a solutlon of a radlum salt, whereby emanation is absorbe'd from said salt, passing the air through water to relieve the air of emanation, collecting the air freed from emanation, and recirculating the collected air through said radium salt to further absorb emanation therefrom.

9.'The process of producing an aqueous solution containing radium emanation which comprises passing air free from carbon dioxide through a solution of radium salt, whereby emanation is absorbed from said salt, passing the air containing emanation through water whereby the emanation is absorbed by the water, collecting the air having emanation, relieved therefrom, recirculating the collected air through the radium salt to further absorb emanation from the salt, passing the air a second time through the water, collecting the air thus passed a second time through the water, and subsequently passin the air through the water to effect a comp ete absorption of emanation.

by the water.

10. The process of producing an aqueous solution containing radium emanation which consists in passing atmosphericair through an alkali solution to remove the carbon dioxide, passing theair free of carbon dioxide through a solution of radium salt, whereby emanation is absorbed from said salt, passing the air containing emanation through the water whereby the emanation is absorbed by the water, collecting the air, recirculating the collected air through the radium salt to further absorb emanation from the salt, passing the air a second time through the water, collecting the air thus passed a sec-I ond time through the water, and subsequently passing the air through the water to effect a complete absorption of emanation by the water. I

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature to this s ecification.

, I-IARRY B. PALMER.

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