Environmental Graffiti recalls some of the commercial products of the early 20th Century which, (perhaps unwisely), extolled the medicinal properties of radium. These include radium face-cream, radium chocolate, radium suppositories, radium toothpaste, and most splendidly, the radiendocrinator, which was intended to be placed over the endocrine glands to 'invigorate sexual virility'. Men were advised to place the instrument under the scrotum at night like an 'athletic strap'.
Radiate as directed, indeed.The inventor of this fabulous product was one William J. Bailey, who claimed to regularly use his own products, and to have drunk more radium water than any other living man.
William J.Bailey died of cancer of the bladder in 1949.
Well we all do tend to die at some point, so how old was he? and did he smoke woodbines as well?
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the right question and the right point to make. About a third of the population die of cancer, and in the language of epidemiologists, you always need to be wary of the 'confounding' effect of smoking.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the case of this chap, he was only 64, and bladder cancer is quite rare.
..but was 64 a youngish age to die in 1949?
ReplyDeleteLooks like the life expectancy in the US in 1950 was about 68 years, so he died at a slightly youngish age. Of bladder cancer, after drinking lots of radium water.
ReplyDeleteIts strange to think that when I was at school in the 70s I was taught that my life expectancy was around 69 years old, and now we are close I think to 80.
ReplyDeleteHorizons Chernobyl's 'nuclear nightmares'
you might have missed it? 8.50 in I think your man makes an appearance.
Heres the link.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IQWuXtX_6E
I use the radiendoctrinator every nicht since the age of 16. I am very pleased with the results. I have one highly intelligent son who is such a beautiful personality that he seems to radiate sometimes. Sometimes I have these strange itches though, but I suspect it has to do with the fabric of my underwear.
ReplyDelete