Abstract
In designing a safe for the storage of 1750 milligrams of radium1 when not in use, and the necessary accompanying “make-up” apparatus, the following points were observed, (1) isolation, i.e. protection to the personnel of the hospital; (2) protection against theft and protection against the radiation by means of lead; (3) accessibility for removing radium; (4) speed and ease of inventory.
For isolation a room was selected in a wing of the hospital which was little frequented by the personnel. This room was to be used for no other purpose than as a safe and “make-up” room.
For protection against theft an ordinary commercial steel chest with the usual combination lock was purchased. This measured 30″ × 16″ × 16″.
The lead protection consisted of two sections. The first was a hollow lead box which was fitted into the steel chest. The lead was 1 3/16 inches thick on each side, 1 inch thick on the bottom, and 1 5/8 and 2 inches thick on the top (Fig. 1). There is also 1/2″ lead on the door of the safe. This hollow lead box may be considered as the secondary protection. The other or primary protection consists in lead-filled brass drawers sliding in recesses in the brass frame which fits into the lead box. Each drawer is approximately 10 × 4 × 1 5/8 inches and is filled with lead. Small depressions are cut in the lead about 1/2 inch deep and otherwise varying according to the type of radium container each drawer is to receive. The details of the brass frame and of the drawers are shown in Fig. 1.