Radithor

Radithor was a patent medicine that is one of the most infamous examples of radioactive quackery. Marketed from 1918 to 1928 by the Bailey Radium Laboratories of East Orange, New Jersey, Radithor was essentially a solution of radium dissolved in water. It was advertised as a cure for over thirty ailments, including impotence, diabetes, and insomnia, without any scientific basis for these claims. The product is a notable case in the history of radiation poisoning in the United States, leading to the death of several users, including a wealthy American socialite, Eben Byers, whose death in 1932 was widely publicized and led to increased regulation of radioactive substances.

Composition and Use

Radithor was composed of distilled water containing at minimum 1 microcurie each of radium-226 and radium-228, isotopes known for their radioactivity. It was sold in small vials, and users were instructed to consume it orally. The product was part of a larger trend of radium-based products that emerged in the early 20th century, following the discovery of radium by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. These products were marketed based on the popular but misguided belief that radioactivity was beneficial to health.

Health Effects and Legacy

The most famous case of Radithor's lethal effects is that of Eben Byers, a wealthy industrialist who began taking Radithor in 1927, believing it would improve his health. By 1930, Byers had consumed a large quantity of Radithor, leading to severe radiation sickness, including losing most of his jaw and suffering from multiple brain abscesses. His death in 1932 and the subsequent media coverage highlighted the dangers of radioactive patent medicines and led to greater public awareness and regulatory scrutiny of radioactive materials.

The Byers case prompted the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen its oversight of radioactive substances, eventually leading to the outright ban of such products. Radithor's history is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unregulated medical products and the importance of scientific evidence in medical treatments.

Regulatory Impact

The fallout from the Radithor case and similar incidents played a significant role in the development of more stringent regulations for the marketing and sale of pharmaceuticals and radioactive substances in the United States. It underscored the need for rigorous scientific evaluation and approval processes for health-related products, a principle that remains a cornerstone of public health policy.

See Also

• Quackery
• Radiation poisoning
• Patent medicine
• Radium Girls
• Eben Byers