Himalayan Times (1954)

May 2, 1954

Seyen

So far, radioisotops have had thpir
most dramalic opportunity in the field
of medicine. As diagnostic tools, or
tracers.' . radioisotopes have found varied
uses in the treatment and diagnosis of
cancer. When used to detect tumours,
they are used in amounts that will not
injure body processes. All nuclear radi-
ations can damage cells, however, and
this property is used to advantage to
destroy diseased tissues.

The most useful radioisotopes for diag-
nosis are radioiodine and radio phos-
phorus. And probably the most success-
ful use of radioiodine has been in the
tr.-atment of hyperthyriodism or over-
activity of the thyroid The radioiso-
tope bombards the gland with short-range
radiation called '•b"ta rays', damaging
sufficient cells to slow down abnormal
activity. Radiophosphorus has been used
in the treatment of cancer of the lymph
system and for treatment of leukemia,
a cancerlike disease in which white hi od
cells are produ'c d at abnormally high rat.?.

liadiocobalfc has proved to be the
most valuvb'e radioisotope of all for use
like an X ray machine or radium, as an
external radia ion source It is far cheaper
than radium and is easier to use than
X-ray.

In agriculture, isotope research has
shown farmers how to use fertiliser*
moie efficiently. Through the useofra-
diiiisotopes in p'ant food, investigators
have b>e,n able to determine w-Vr.s and
how fertiliser shou'd be placed for max-
imum uptake by various' plants, when
the plant uses it most effectively what
fertilisers are best for various . t'vp's of
soils, and h >w the fertiliser is taken
from the soil used by the, plant.

Tn other .experiments, samples-of oats
have ben made completely resistant to
rust bv exposi g tiieni to radiations
from radioactiv cobalt. .This new science

of radiation geiieticsi which can induce
beneficial "mutation" in plants and fruits,
has already developed new strains of
peanuts with increased yields and shapes
more adoptable to mechanical harvesting.
Presently scientists are trying to develop
a strain of Indian corn resistant to leaf
bright. ,

Radioisotopes are also used in various
ways to combat crop pests. The charac-
teristic of nuclear radiation to produce
sterility in animals and plants has led
to many important pest-controf experi-
ments. - ■ ';>

Experiments are now under way in
the United States to test the use of atomic
energy in preserving food. It has been
found that gamma rays have the effect
of sterilisation on food; and scientists •
believe that it will be possible to pre-
serve foods, without cooking or canning
and: without the nece-sity of refrigeara-
tion. However a definite method -„of
ndiation for .this, purpose''has yet to We
determined. _ '' , .. ■

Radioisotopes' aH also b 'ins: increasing-
ly used in virions industrial' processes.
Some of these . uses -ire to measure en-
gin" wear inApr. different lubricating
condition's, to study the process by which
petrolium may be synthetically produced
from coal and oil, ' . .

One of the commonest uses of radio-
isotopes in. industry is as thickness
guages. A radioisotope is. placed on one
side of a . moving sheet of material such
as-paper, rubber, plastic or thin metal
and a detection instrument is placed on
the other side.- The amount of • r.ulio-
activity measured, by the instrument
indicates the. thickness of the sheet and .
va-iations can be corrected accordingly.
Radioisotopes can also be used lik» X ravs
to detect.invisible Haws in castings, welds
and forgings

. •'.(Contsh-.^d .on page S)

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