The centenary of discovery of radium

Henri Becquerel presented the discovery of radium by Pierre and Marie Curie at the Paris Academy of Science on 26th December 1898. One century later, radium has been abandoned, mainly for radiation protection difficulties. It is, however, likely that modem techniques of brachytherapy have inherited to those designed for radium sources, and that radium has cured thousands a nd thousands patients all over the world for about eighty years. The histor y of discovery and medical use of radium is summarised. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.