Interesting facts about radon

THE HISTORY OF THE RADON DISCOVERY AND USE

Studying the ionization of air by radioactive substances, the Curies noticed that different bodies located near a radioactive source acquire radioactive properties. Subsequently, other researchers, primarily Rutherford, tried (1899/1900) to explain this phenomenon by the fact that a radioactive body forms some kind of radioactive outflow or emanation (from latin emanatio – outflow), which impregnates the surrounding bodies. The name “Radon” was introduced by the International Commission of Radium Standards in 1930.

Libikh case.

An interesting case occurred with the famous 19th-century chemist Libikh. When he fell ill with radiculitis, the doctors advised him to undergo a course of bath treatment in the Gastein resort (Austria). Li bikh made a chemical analysis of the water from this source and made sure that it practically did not differ from tap water (the phenomenon of radioactivity had not yet been discovered). And he said that he would just as well take baths at home. However, he was cured only when he took a course of baths at the Gastein resort (A. A. Lozinsky, 1949).

The oldest facts of the use of radon.

Archaeological finds near the springs of Gastein (Austria) indicate that it is possible that the therapeutic effects of radon were observed there already in prehistoric times. As is well known, the Italian island of volcanic origin, Ischia, near Naples, inhabited by the Greeks about 2500 years ago, was the first place where warm radon springs were widely used and continue to be used for medicinal purposes (Deetjen, 1997). More than 2000 years ago, the Romans used famous old resorts in the Alpine region of northern Italy such as Merano (2.000 Bq/l in spring water) and Lurisia (40.000 Bq/l). Another example is Steben in Germany. The first information about the “strange properties” of this radon source dates back to 1473. In other cultures, in particular in Japan (Misasa), the effects of radon have been observed empirically for many centuries (about 800 years ago). There are many places where radon effects were used long before radiation and radon were known. For example, in the Middle Ages, miners who mined silver in southern Saxony, working in very difficult and unhealthy conditions, often fell ill and died early from lung pathology, but suffered less often from joint diseases than the rest of the population. This was explained by the fact that the remains of ore containing uranium were preserved in the clothes of the miners, in addition, they drank water of mine origin. The local population used packages of uranium resin (uranit) in the treatment of inflammatory diseases (W. Schuttmann 1987). The famous medieval physician Paracelsus, in his book on the sources of health, written in 1525-1527, devoted a separate chapter to Gastein (Austria). And in 1780, the Gastein Baths were already the subject of a dissertation.

From the article by Klaus Becker: “BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF RADON – 100 YEARS OF RADON THERAPY” (Translated by S.V. Panov).