ON DECEMBER 28, 1898, the Curies announced to the world the discovery of radium. It was not, however, until 45 months later that they were able to prepare the first 100 mg. of pure radium salts. This was the beginning of man's use of one of the most versatile radioactive materials that, in spite of the present widespread use of artificially produced radionuclides, is still commonly employed in medicine, industry, research, and various consumer items. The biological effects of this new material were observed soon after its discovery. Two German cheimical manufacturers reported in 1900 that radium had destructive action on the epidermis (1). Becquerel received a chest burln from carrying radium in his vest pocket. Pierre Curie produced a similar burn onI his arm by placing it neiar a radium source for 10 hours (2). These and many more early observations led to the use of radium in medicinie. In 1901 radium was used for the treatment of lupus at the St. Louis Hospital in Paris. The first ra,dium used in medicine in the United States (150 mg.) was obtained by Dr. Robert Abbe from the Curie Laboratory in 1903. During that year experiments were conducted on its effect on certain nas,opharynge,al conditions and in intrauterine applications. Its use on superficial conditions seemed to be well e,stablished. Not until 1910 were interstitial needles first used, although Alexander Graham Bell suggested in 1903 that ra.dium in glas,s tubes be inserted into the very heart of cancer (3). The decades that followed saw many improvements and innovations in the use of radium and its daughter product, radon, as a therapeutic tool in medicilne. Kelly, Burnham, Stevenson, Joly, Jane-way, and others helped pioneer this usage (4). Industrial applications of radium lagged behiind the medica,l uses. Although radium and nesothorium were used in luminous compounds during World War I, the first commercial use of radcium in industrial radiography did not take place until 1930. Gradually, radiographic procedures using radium became an accepted quality control method. During World War II, the U.S. Navy purchased more than 17 grams of radium for industrial radiography (5). These wvere used to inspect highly stressed structural parts of ships-castings, wNieldments, anid valves and fittings in the high-pressure steam and feed lines. In addition to radiography, radium is now used for other industrial and research purposes, such as iieutron sources, instrument calibration sources, thickness and density gauges, static eliminators, alnd fire alarm devices. Along with the fascinating history of the early applications of radium were also references suggesting that radium be used with caution. It is perhaps unfortunate that we have not profited more from the early mistakes and observations of others. For example, in 1906 Dr. Robert Abbe reported on the explosion of a 50-mg. glass radium tube while he was removing it from a container. Upon searching the lite,rature, he noted that similar experiences