Sociability, radium and the maintenance of scientific culture and authority in 20th century Ireland: a case study of the Royal Dublin Society
The discovery of radium in 1898 spurred a range of public, industrial and scientific reactions. The public were enthralled by this near mystical element. Its ability to produce its own energy soon gave rise to a ‘radium craze’ in which promises of its health-giving properties were prominent. A range of supposed radium-based products, such as creams and fortified water, were quickly on sale.
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