radium dial watch

[Chris Alston <alstonc@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

>From: Walter Nikesch <walter.nikesch@STJOHN.ORG>

>We have a radiologists who just found out that a watch he purchased in
1951 and has worn continuously since then has a radium dial.
>
>The watch is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual.
>
>Exposure measurements with a Ludlum thin end window GM detector resulted
in 10 mR/hr front surface and 0.5 mR/hr back surface.
>
>1 mm aluminum filter reduced the front surface exposure to 2.0 mR/hr.  The
meter/GM probe  was calibrated in mR/hr using a cesium 137 source.
>
>A Ludlum 44-9 thin window pancake alpha/beta detector showed 100,000 cpm
at the front surface and 3,000 cpm at the back surface.
>
>The radiologist had a habit of sleeping with his arm near his head so the
watch was a few inches from his forehead (for several hours per night)
where he has just developed a squamus cell skin cancer.
>
>Does anyone have any references or information on the amount or radium in
these watches and the true exposure rate from these watches?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Walter Nikesch, Ph.D.
>walter.nikesch@stjohn.org
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