Category: Radionuclides
Estimated Date: 1915
Name: Spinthyroscope
Manufacturer: F.H. Glew

Description: A red box 1.5“x 1“x 0.5” embossed on top Radium Microscope, label on the bottom reads “Micro scintilloscope F. H Glew etc.” Label in lid Radium Pendant Microsope showing scintillations in the dark, patent Eng., Fr., USA. Contains a 0.75“x 0.25” ivory piece shaped like a chess pawn with a lens at head end and hollow with viewing plate at the base inside. The device is not shown here as it was lost at a loan exhibition But it is cited because some years ago I purchased a carton of instruments from the descendant of a Glasgow optician who had been interested in X-Rays. The carton was contaminated with radium. This spinthariscope was in the carton as well (Blaufox, MD, Constable AR: Antique Hazards: A Latter Day Encounter with Radium. J. Nucl. Med.24:79’82, 1983). Also contained in the carton was a vial of radium, shown here in a protective lead glass container and of radioactive shellac for for coating luminescent dials both of which were contained in a small wooden box in the carton . The entire story is discussed in detail in the article cited. On further surveying of the box, it turned out it contained some cotton-like material and two vials; on one that it contained about l7 pCi of activity. One vial was handwritten “Radio Varnish”, and on the other vial “Spirit of Turpentine”. The reverse side of both vials was labeled “F. H, Glew, Surgical Radiographer,Silver Medal (HighestAward, Paris 1900), 156 Clapham Road, London S.W.” Shown as noted in its protective lead glass that was prepared later. These rather innocuous-looking objects containing an unidentified clear fluid were of particularinterest,since in England the surgical radiographer was the rough equivalentof the radiological technicianin the United States. A small corked vial was retrieved from the box containing about three cm3 of a coursepink powder labeled “Radium Compound” “0.4 Admiralty Specification” “2 gr”.

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