Radioactive material served on a plate.

Site Issues 2008 Archive Room
#1

Hej guys!

You all (I hope) heard of an incident in UK where a guy was poisoned by radioactive Polonium, right?

But do you know that it in USA it was possible for anyone to purchase Polonium for scintific research? That is actually right. But that is not the point. The point is this… check out these two toys!

Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab

containing beta-alpha source (Pb-210), pure beta source (Ru-106), gamma source (Zn-65?)

and this one:

Read more about these toys:
http://radaronline.com/features/2006/12/gilbert_u238_atomic_energy_lab.php
http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/Auction_Item.asp?Auction_ID=31568

#2

There must have been a very relaxed attitude to radiation risks in the 1950’s.

I used to love having my shoes fitted with an x-ray machine like this.

http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/shoefittingfluor/shoe.htm

#3
  1. Attitudes were much more relaxed - the green propaganda about how bad anything “nuclear” was had yet to take hold, with the residual sense of wonder at the “wonderful new science” was still about.
  2. There are a hell of a lot of totally safe, very low level radioactive sources. The only reason they aren’t in use right now is the sheer level of paperwork - the danger is theoretical not real.
#4

A do it yourself “cloud chamber” kit was available as the pics show, most every school had some. In the 50’s U.S. , radiation was your friend, and though these kits did not contain enough isotope to be dangerous, (just a speck on a pinhead,) many of the new tools of the nuclear age were certainly dangerous.One in particular was a machine used by many shoe stores, basically a flouroscope that would allow the buyer to see their feet, while in the shoes they wanted. This was marketed as a great way to check the fit of the shoe. There were viewports for the wearer, the parent, and the salesman to look at the image. The shielding was barely adequate, and if the machine was moved around, it would sometimes shift, leaving holes in the shield, which when added to the fact that these things put out 25 times the radiation of a chest X-Ray, (per hour) I’m surprised anyone suvived working in the shops.(or buying shoes,) and, yes I’ve used one of those, when I was a kid of 6 or 7, the store nearby had one, and we would always go in to look at our feet.(which may explain alot,:slight_smile: ) Opps, I see R.S. has already introduced the foot flouroscope…I guess thats a side effect,

SAT06.jpg

#5

Cute.Who made this idea?