Madame Curie Page #7

you are convinced

as to the reliability of

Madame curie's investigation.

Entirely, I have even put aside

my own research

to devote my entire time

to collaborating with her

in the isolation of

this new element.

Dr. Curie

much as we would like to

help you and Madame Curie

our budget does not provide the

purposes of this kind.

However, the suggestion was made

by Professor Roger

in which we have unanimously

concurred to offer you the use

of the shade across the courtyard

from the school of physics.

We are aware that this shade

is not the most suitable place for

your investigation.

Gentlemen

am I to understand that

you are offering us the old shade

across from the physics building?

The one, that was used as a

dissecting room

by medical students?

If this abominable shade is available,

it's only because no one can be

found who is willing to work in it.

The roof leaks. It has no floor

but the wet ground.

It can't be heated.

In summer, it is stifling

as a hot house

and in winter, it freezes.

And do you imagine that

I would permit my wife to work

under these appalling conditions?

If you do

gentlemen, believe me...

With my husband's permission

we should be very glad

to accept the shade.

We shall be very grateful

to have the shade.

This was the shade

across the courtyard

from the school of physics.

This was to be the laboratory

of Marie and Pierre Curie

The place was even worse than

they had expected.

There was no equipment.

They were at the mercy of

the worse extremes of the weather.

How could they do anything

worthwhile under such conditions?

If they'd know at the start

how long they will have

to work here and

what difficulties awaited them

would they have dare to begin?

Well, yes, they probably would.

They were that kind of people.

At first

it was sheer physical labor

beyond the strength

of either of them.

During those winter days

they carried on between them

the work of

the entire chemical plant.

The raw material was pitch blende

from the mines of

Bohemia tons of it

from which they plan to

extract all the known elements

until only a few ounces remain.

From this few ounces, radium

their precious element

was eventually to be isolated.

In the beginning

in spite of the bitter cold

the work had to be done

out of doors

because of the fire and fumes.

The first step was to

melt the crude ore

on a large oblong tank

till it was boiling like lava.

Then acid was poured in.

This was to

dissolve out the salts.

When this was done

the next stage was to melt down

the residue in separate cordon

another back breaking job

for the fire must not go out.

Night or day

either Pierre or Marie

had to be on hand all the time.

Dogged determination

kept them going

through month after month of

such arduous dangerous work

but even so

it began at last to tear on

both Pierre and Marie.

This was something they had to

fight continually

the gas fumes.

Eventually, months run into years

The kind of works changed

but Pierre had to build

or assemble their equipment

and with any material

that lay at hand.

What was left of

the original pitch blende

had now to be filtered and

re-filtered to

remove other elements.

And this work were not

quite so physically strenuous

was hard enough

specially during

the hot summer days.

And so the work went on

until presently

everything had been removed

from the tons of ore

except two final elements

one was barium and the other

which they had began to

think of it

in their heart

as their own element

was the precious illusive radium.

Pierre and Marie thought that

the end of their task

must surely be in sight.

All that was now left was to

separate these two survivors

barium and radium.

This was the problem to

separate barium

and radium somehow or other.

No separation.

No separation. No separation.

September the 12th 1899.

Reduction of pitch blende

nearly finish.

Only barium and radium remain.

The next separation

will give radium.

November the 8th, 1899.

First experiment. No separation.

November the 10th, 1899.

Second experiment. No separation.

July the 16th, 1900.

Four hundred

and fifty eight experiments.

Radium still refuses to separated

from barium.

Alright, then, radium wouldn't be

separated from barium.

We've done all we can

and more more than

most people would have done

thanks to your tenacity

but it's useless.

We'll never find a way

of separating.

Barium and radium

can not be separated.

How much longer do you think

we can stand this

insufferable heat

stifling in summer

and freezing in winter.

How much longer do you think

you can drive yourself like this?

And how much longer do you think

I can stand by

and watch you destroy yourself?

The world has done without

radium up to now.

What does it matter

if it is isolated

for another 100 years.

I can't give it up.

If it takes a hundred years

it would be a pity

but I am going to see how far

I could go, even my lifetime

We have never seen burns

quite like this before

they are very strange.

I can't ever remember

seeing anything quite like them

they obviously don't come from

any normal substance.

Madame Curie

how long have been making

your experiments with

this unknown element?

For the past three

three and a half years.

And have these burns

given you much pain?

No. They are irritating at times

but I never pay attention to them

until lately.

I see.

It is obvious that

you are dealing with

some remarkable powerful force.

As to what these burns

are exactly

there is no means of telling.

I don't wish to alarm you

Madame Curie

but it is possible that

these burns might become serious

might in fact develop malignantly

if you continue to expose them

excessively

to your unknown element.

It is not impossible

they may be developed

into a cancerous nature.

It is my advice, Madame

that you abandon your experiments.

Cancer.

No, Pierre.

He only said the burns

might develop malignantly

Like develop into cancer.

No. He said they might possibly

develop into a cancerous nature

but only if it excessively

exposed to our radium.

So if we're careful

there is nothing

to be frightened about.

But the very word frightens me.

You saw how it took my own mother.

We'll have to give up

our experiments

If we are dealing with

as powerful a forces

there is no telling what...

I wouldn't allow it.

I wouldn't let you take such risk

I won't permit you.

No, Marie. Pierre, please.

Listen to me, please.

There is something

I must tell you

and then you should decide

as you wish.

Very well, Marie.

As I left the doctor

I have been thinking.

This element of ours obviously

has a terrific power.

Power enough to

affect healthy tissue like mine.

Power enough to destroy tissue.

Pierre, if it has this power

why hasn't it also the power to

destroy unhealthy tissue?

You realize what that might mean?

It could heal.

By destroying unhealthy tissue

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