Re: Revigorator

[tjs1@cornell.edu (Thomas J Shelley) (Thomas J. Shelley)]

On 1/19/95, J. Ellsworth Weaver wrote:
>Dear Radsafers,
>
>This morning a colleague brought in a ceramic jug 10 1/2" high, 5 1/2" across
>the top and 8 1/2" across the bottom. It has a metal spiggot on it and these
>words:
>
>Radium Ore
>Revigorator
>Patd 7-16-12
>
>The Radium Ore Revigorator Co.
>260 California St.
>San Francisco, Cal
>
>On the side it has these instructions:
>
>1. Fill jar every night
>2. Use hydrant or any good water
>3. Drink freely when thirsty and upon arising and retiring.
>   Average six or more glasses daily.
>   Scrub with stiff brush and scald monthly.
>
>There was no smearable activity inside or out. The inside pegged our frisker
>on all but the million cpm scale.
>
>The Revigorator was purchased as an antique by a neighbor lady who wants to
>plant flowers in it. Not a bad idea IMHO. Any clue to its history? Is this
>like the Radithor that William Bailey introduced in 1925 and killed Eben
>Byers in 1932? What is the material inside? Uranium? Thorium? Although I get
>no alpha from it, I suspect there a glaze which might be blocking it. There
>sure is a grunch of betas. Also, I wonder what is now at the 260 California
>address.
>
>In service to Science,
>J. Ellsworth Weaver

I lived in San Francisco in the early 70's and my apartment mates and I
also owned a Radiuim Revigorator.  We never scoped it out with a meter, but
we assumed that there was a small chunck of radium in the unit somewhere
(near the spiggot maybe?).  The idea was that of the Radithor--drink
irradiated water, probably _hot_ water, and it would cure all of your ills,
keep you young and prevent disease.  I suspect a number of folks who used
these units heavily didn't fare well later in life.....  I walked by the
thing, filled with dried flowers and kept on the landing of the stairwell,
several times each day for several years and apparently suffered no ill
effects.  Any other reports on the
Radiuim Revigorator would be appreciated.

Tom Shelley


***************************************************************************

Tom Shelley,  Coordinator of Laboratory and Chemical Safety, Cornell
University, Department of Environmental Health and Safety, 118 Maple Ave.,
Ithaca, NY 14850.       (607) 255-4288              tjs1@cornell.edu
List owner--CMTS-L(Chemical Management and Tracking Systems Discussion Group).

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