.jpg?w=1)
Details
RUTHERFORD, Ernest. Autograph letter signed ("E Rutherford") to Charles Herman Viol, editor of the journal Radium, Cambridge, 8 January 1921. 3 pages, 8o, address embossed in upper right corner, few light soil marks, neat horizontal fold.
RUTHERFORD ON RADIUM
Rutherford writes to Charles Herman Viol at the journal Radium from which we quote: " I am giving a course of lectures on Radioactivity at the Royal Institution beginning late in February. I shall be obliged if you can give me any general information with regard to the following: 1. Average Ur + Th content of the carnotite used for separation of Ra. 2. A rough idea of methods of commercial separation with rough figures of amount of ore, acid, etc. to yield one gram Ra. Probably you have published something along these lines. Possibly you could give me some idea of the annual output of Ra for the world & an estimate of the amount so far separated... Also I should be glad of any general information re commercial separation that you may have on hand & do not regard as confidential."
Rutherford was this year appointed Professor of Natural History at the Royal Institution, a position he held in addition to his directorship of the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. Rutherford's research depended on a steady supply of radioactive materials, hence his interest in radium manufacture. Viol's Radium, published by the Pittsburgh Radium Chemical Company between 1914 and 1922, was a evidentally good source of information on commercial radium manufacture. Rutherford letters with scientific content are scarce.
RUTHERFORD ON RADIUM
Rutherford writes to Charles Herman Viol at the journal Radium from which we quote: " I am giving a course of lectures on Radioactivity at the Royal Institution beginning late in February. I shall be obliged if you can give me any general information with regard to the following: 1. Average Ur + Th content of the carnotite used for separation of Ra. 2. A rough idea of methods of commercial separation with rough figures of amount of ore, acid, etc. to yield one gram Ra. Probably you have published something along these lines. Possibly you could give me some idea of the annual output of Ra for the world & an estimate of the amount so far separated... Also I should be glad of any general information re commercial separation that you may have on hand & do not regard as confidential."
Rutherford was this year appointed Professor of Natural History at the Royal Institution, a position he held in addition to his directorship of the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. Rutherford's research depended on a steady supply of radioactive materials, hence his interest in radium manufacture. Viol's Radium, published by the Pittsburgh Radium Chemical Company between 1914 and 1922, was a evidentally good source of information on commercial radium manufacture. Rutherford letters with scientific content are scarce.