Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

US Radium Oncology

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Mining and Selling Radium and Uranium

  • 802 Accesses

Abstract

Until the later part of the nineteenth century, the diagnosis of cancer was tantamount to a death sentence. Anesthesia and antisepsis were introduced in midcentury, but both were used infrequently until the 1880s. General anesthetics, nitrous oxide and ether, were introduced during 1842–1846 by the American dentists H. Wells and W. T. Morton as well as by the physician C. Long. Considering the woeful state of medical education in the USA compared to Europe, this monumental discovery was a minor miracle. Chloroform was introduced in Europe in 1847 but was eventually considered too dangerous. Queen Victoria used chloroform for her eighth and ninth deliveries, her last, in 1853 and 1856. However, her physician John Snow (1813–1858) was condemned for it as well as for his theory that germs caused cholera.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kennedy M (2004) A brief history of disease, science and medicine. Writer’s Collective, Cranston

    Google Scholar 

  2. Nuland SB (1988) Doctors: illustrated history of medical pioneers. Black Dog & Levanthal Workman, New York

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bordley J, Harvey AM (1976) Two centuries of American medicine: 1776–1976. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  4. Million RR, Cassisi NJ (1984) Management of head and neck cancers. Lippincott, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kelly HA, Burnam CF (1914) Diseases of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. Appleton, New York

    Google Scholar 

  6. Considine B (1959) That many may live. Memorial Center for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York

    Google Scholar 

  7. del Regato JA (1993) James Ewing. In: Radiation oncologists (Chap. 8). Radiology Centennial Publ., Reston, VA, pp 65–75

    Google Scholar 

  8. Langton HH (1940) James Douglas a memoir, privately printed (500 copies). University of Toronto, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  9. Douglas W (1940) University of Arizona dedication of the Douglas memorial building for mines/metallurgy. University of Arizona, Tuscon

    Google Scholar 

  10. The Economist (2012) The King of con-men. The Economist 22 Dec 2012. http://www.economist.com/news/christmas-specials/21568583-biggest-fraud-history-warning-professional-and-amateur-investors. Accessed 27 June 2014

  11. Douglas J (1868) Account of the attempt to form a settlement on the mosquito shore 1823. Transactions of the literary & historical society of Quebec Series 2 No 6 1868-9 paper I pp 25–40 In Series 2 No. 5–8 1867-71. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009965458. Accessed 22 Aug 2014

  12. Leblond S (1982) James Douglas (1800–1886). In: Dictionary of Canadian biography, vol 11. http://www.biographica/en/bio/douglas_james_1800_86_11E.html. Accessed 18 Feb 2014

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mayell H (2003) U.S. museum to return Ramses I mummy to Egypt. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0430_030430_royalmummy.html. Accessed 22 Aug 2014

  14. Encyclopedia Britannica (1911) Thomas Sterry hunt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sterry_Hunt. Accessed 19 Feb 2014

  15. Arizona Archives Online (2014) Dr. James Douglas collection MS 1031. http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/ahssd/ms1031.xml. Accessed 22 Aug 2014

  16. Bailey LR (1983) Bisbee; queen of the copper camps. Westernlore, Tuscon

    Google Scholar 

  17. Cleland RG (1952) A history of Phelps Dodge 1834-50. Knopf, New York

    Google Scholar 

  18. Durham GR (1989) Phelps Dodge corporation. Newcomen Society Publications #1325. Princeton University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  19. Phelps Dodge Co. (2014) History of Phelps Dodge corporation-company profile. http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/63/Phelps-Dodge-Corporation.html. Accessed 28 Feb 2014

  20. Arizona Daily Star (1913) Walter Douglas. http://www.onlinebiographies.info/az/douglas_w.htm. Accessed 18 Feb 2014

  21. Young HV (1964) Ghosts of Cleopatra hill. Jerome Historical Society, Jerome

    Google Scholar 

  22. Badash L (1979) Radioactivity in America. Johns Hopkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  23. Landa E (1987) From buried treasure to buried waste. Colo Sch Mine Q 82(2):77

    Google Scholar 

  24. Moore RB, Kithil KL (1913) A preliminary report on uranium, radium, and vanadium, Bulletin 70. Department of Interior, Bureau of Mines, Washington Government Printing Office, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lind SC (1972) The memoirs of Samuel Colville Lind. J TN Acad Sci 47:1–40

    Google Scholar 

  26. Aronowitz JA, Robison RF (2010) Howard Kelly establishes gynecologic brachytherapy in the United States. Brachythrapy 9(2):178–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Robison RF (2010) Howard Atwood Kelly (1858–1943). Nowotw J Oncol 60(1):21e–35e

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bruyn K (1955) Uranium country. University of Colorado Press, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  29. Viol CH (1915) The radium situation in America. Radium (Pittsburgh) 4:105–120

    Google Scholar 

  30. Davis A (1959) Dr. Kelly of Hopkins: surgeon, scientist, Christian. Johns Hopkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  31. TeLinde RW (1954) Howard Atwood Kelly. Am J Obstet Gynecol 68:1203–1211

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bent AF (1996) Howard Atwood Kelly. Int Urogynecol J 7:48–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Flexner A (1972) Medical education in the United States and Canada. Arno Press & The New York Times, New York

    Google Scholar 

  34. Bliss M (1999) William Osler. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  35. Harvey AM, Brieger GH, Abrams SL, McKusick VA (1989) A model of its kind. A centennial history of medicine at Johns Hopkins, vol 1. Johns Hopkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  36. Blogg MW (1919) Bibliography of H.A. Kelly. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp 30:293–344

    Google Scholar 

  37. Johns Hopkins University (2010) Department of art as applied to medicine. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medart/HistoryArchives.htm. Accessed 22 Aug 2014

  38. Cullen TS (1945) Max Brödel 1870–1941. Bull Med Libr Assoc 33(1):1–29

    Google Scholar 

  39. Burns SB (2004) Oncology tumors and treatment: a photographic history. Burns Archive Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  40. Bolton Hill Online (2014) Bolton Hill. http://www.boltonhill.org/. Accessed 22 Aug 2014

  41. Burnam CF (1936) Early experiences with radium (Janeway lecture). Am J Roentgenol 36:437–452

    Google Scholar 

  42. Baltimore MD Google Maps (2014) Bolton Hill Baltimore. USDA farm service maps. http://Adwww.wow.com/USDA+Farm+Service+Maps. Accessed 15 Feb 2014

  43. Gauss CJ (1913) Gynaekologische tiefentherapy (deep therapy). Strahlentherapie 2:623–641

    Google Scholar 

  44. Kronig B (1914) The Roentgen rays, radium, and mesothorium in the treatment of uterine fibroids and malignant tumors. Am J Obstet 69:205–214

    Google Scholar 

  45. Janeway HH (1919) The treatment of uterine cancer by radium. Surg Gyn Obst 29:242–265

    Google Scholar 

  46. Clark JG (1895) A more radical method of performing hysterectomy for cancer of the uterus. John Hopkins Bull 6:120–124

    Google Scholar 

  47. Kelly HA, Burnam CF (1915) Radium in the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix, uteri, and vagina. J Am Med Assoc 65:1874–1878

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Burnam CF, Ward GE (1923) Recent developments in protective methods and appliances in radium therapy. Am J Roentgenol 10:625–632

    Google Scholar 

  49. Robison RF (2000) American radium engenders telecurie therapy during World War I. Med Phys 27(6):1212–1216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Hendee WR (1970) Medical radiation physics. Year Book Medical, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  51. Gallager RG, Mitchell RZ, Doyle HN (1955) Radioactive contamination in a radium therapy clinic. U.S. Public Health Rep 70(7):617–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Ewing J (1934) Early experiences in radiation therapy. Am J Roentgenol 31:153–163

    Google Scholar 

  53. Viol CH, Cameron WH (1921) Dr. Henry H. Janeway (obituary). Radium (Pittsburgh) 16:81–82

    Google Scholar 

  54. Janeway HH, Barringer BS, Failla G (1917) Radium therapy in cancer at memorial hospital 1915–1916. Paul Hoeber, New York

    Google Scholar 

  55. Failla G (1928) Design of a well-protected radium “pack”. Am J Roentgenol Rad Ther 20(2):128–141

    Google Scholar 

  56. del Regato JA (1990). Gioaccino Failla. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 19(6):1609–1620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Watson DL (1931) Handling precious radium in safety. Every Week Magazine, NEA Services, Cleveland, p 3

    Google Scholar 

  58. Radium Belge (1931). Radium. Union Miniere du Haut Katanga, Radium Department, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  59. Robison RF (1995) The race for megavoltage. Acta Oncol 34(8):1055–1074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Page BR et al (2014) Cobalt, linac or other. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 89(3):476–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bloomington, Indiana, USA

    Roger F. Robison

Authors
  1. Roger F. Robison
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roger F. Robison .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Robison, R. (2015). US Radium Oncology. In: Mining and Selling Radium and Uranium. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11830-7_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation