RE: radioactive jewelry

["Minnema, Douglas" <Douglas.Minnema@ns.doe.gov>]

Andy,

I was not involved and do not have any details, but perhaps I can jog some
memories among our RADSAFE friends who can add the details.

I recall an incident which is probably the one referred to here where some
gold medical implant seeds were lost or stolen and ended up being melted
down with other gold, then made into jewelry and sold.  I am not sure what
the isotope was, might have been radium, but the memory is very vague.  I
seem to recall some potentially significant extremity doses, and perhaps
some skin burns.  I think I learned of it at an HPS annual meeting, probably
very early '80s timeframe.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but hopefully this will get you going in the
right direction.

Doug Minnema
Defense Programs, DOE
<Douglas.Minnema@ns.doe.gov>

what few thoughts i have are truly my own ...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Karam, Andrew [SMTP:Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu]
> Sent:	Tuesday, August 01, 2000 12:46 PM
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	radioactive jewelry
> 
> Greetings, all.  I received a phone call from a local reporter doing a
> story
> on radioactivity in antiques.  She asked me what I could tell her about an
> incident in Buffalo in the 1980s in which a number of rings were found to
> contain radioactivity, and said that apparently law suits were filed.  She
> also thought that the incident was written up in either Health Physics or
> some other journal.
> 
> I have searched Quest and the HPJ WWW page, but have been unable to find
> any
> reference to this under "jewelry".  I'd really appreciate any help from
> Radsafe-land on this one so I can get back to the woman to give her some
> specifics as to the amount of activity, the probably dose, and expected
> effects.
> 
> Thanks -
> 
> Andy
> 
> PS 	I do not get the idea that this reporter has any particular ax to
> grind or that she is predisposed to think this is bad or a scandal.  I
> think
> she's just interested.
> 
> Andrew Karam, CHP              (716) 275-1473 (voice)
> Radiation Safety Officer          (716) 275-3781 (office)
> University of Rochester           (716) 256-0365 (fax)
> 601 Elmwood Ave. Box HPH   Rochester, NY  14642
> 
> Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu
> http://Intranet.urmc.rochester.edu/RadiationSafety
> 
> If a man never contradicts himself, the reason must be that he virtually
> never says anything at all.  (Miguel de Unamuno, quoted in "What is Life?"
> by Erwin Schrodinger)
> 
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