Zimmer Radon Generator (ca. 1940s)

Donated by the Oregon Radiation Control Section, courtesy of Martha Dibblee.

The Zimmer Radon Generator shown above probably dates from the mid to late 1940s. An earlier version from the 1930s was named Zimmer Radium Emanator. As a rough estimate, the Zimmer Laboratories of Los Angeles (Bendix Building) produced 5,000 to 10,000 of these devices. If true, this would be remarkable since the device contained refined radium and cost U.S. $290 (plus tax).

The manufacturer acknowledged the "high cost of the element radium" but pointed out that "the Zimmer Radon Generator is the perfected product resulting from many years of highly technical research."

Quoting  the manufacturer's literature:

"The ZIMMER RADON GENERATOR IS the perfected product resulting from many years of highly technical research.

Due to the "high Cost" of the element Radium, and the large amount that was necessary to produce, without controlling the explosion point of the EMANATIONS, even the small quantity of RADON equal to that found in the various radio-active Springs, made the cost almost prohibitive.

A way had to be found to recover all, or the greater portion of the RADON.  The ZIMMER RADON GENERATOR finally accomplished this vital achievement to a point whereby 90% of the exploding EMANATIONS are caused to occur within a short distance of the ZIMMER RADON GENERATOR, thereby producing in the water surrounding the Generator, the GREATEST POSSIBLE amount of RADON from given quantity of Radium EMANATIONS . . .  

Due to this perfection, the ZIMMER RADON GENERATOR is now produced at a comparatively nominal cost and is now available to the public. Over 6,000 have been placed throughout the world, and some have been in daily use for more than twenty years.

The scientifically constructed ZINNER [sic] RADON GENERATOR contains its perdetermined [sic] quantity of PURE REFINED RADIUM, (Not Radium Salts.) and will last indefinitely, producing the stated quantity of RADON in the water surrounding it."

The radium activity in this device was too high for it to be put on display, so I removed the base (attached to the top with two bolts) and drilled out  the source. The latter, which I crudely estimate at 0.05 mCi, was a small (ca. 1/2") cylinder suspended from the inside top of the emanator by a short rod. Note that  this was done under the supervision of our Radiation Safety Officer  -  this is not something that should be attempted by a member of the public. In the process of drilling out the source, the small glass marble at the top of the emanator was cracked. The marble has a slight purple color, probably as a result of its exposure to the radiation from the radium.

Quoting a newspaper (the Danville Virginia Bee) article published October 2, 1928:  "Declaring that radium will add fifteen years to anybody's life, Capt. H.R. Zimmer, Los Angeles inventor who has been experimenting with radium for twenty-nine years, today described in an interview a device he has perfected [presumably an early version of the Zimmer generator] that makes ordinary drinking water "radio active" with amazing results. Radioactive water makes old men feel young  -  -  - " peps em up," said Zimmer. "It's not a cure-all but it does remarkable things. It tones up the system, reduces high blood pressure, and softens harding [sic] arteries". . . Zimmer, who is 64, said he doesn't feel a day over 44. He has the appearance and vigor of a man of middle age. He is in New York in connection with tests he has invented and which is known as "radium-atomite," said to be more powerful than TNT. He has sixty-one inventions to his credit."

Size: 3" high, 2 3/4" diameter at base

References

Booklet used by  a distributor of the Zimmer Generator.  The booklet contains analyses, testimonials etc., that would be useful when selling the product. Probably late 1940s based on testimonial letters dated 1947.

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