Effects of Intravenous Injections of Radium Bromide

The present study was undertaken with a view of determining in a general way the effects of intravenous administration of radium upon the circulation and respiration. The problem was suggested to us by Dr. William J. Gies, under whose guidance a number of researches, dealing with the more extensive question of the action of radium upon animal and vegetable cells, have recently been carried on in the laboratories of Columbia University. 1 For the radium used in these experiments we are greatly indebted to Mr. Hugo Lieber. It was supplied to us in the form of the bromide, in preparations of 240 , iooo, and io,ooo activities. The strength of the solution used was the same in all cases. I t contained 45 rag. of the dry substance in 25 c. c. of the solvent; each cubic centimeter of the solution, therefore, contained 1.8 rag. of the radium preparation. The amount of the radium present varies directly with the radio-activity. Preparations of ~,5oo,ooo activity are said to represent pure radium bromide3 Taking this figure as the standard of purity, ~ .8 rag. of the radium preparation of io,ooo activity contained approximately only o.o~ 26 mg., the same quanti ty of the preparation of ~ooo activity contained o.ooi26 rag. and a like amount of the preparation of 240 activity only o.ooo36 rag.