William J. A. Bailey
Encyclopedia
William John Aloysius Bailey (May 25, 1884 – May 17, 1949) was a Harvard University
dropout who falsely claimed to be a doctor of medicine, and who promoted the use of radioactive radium
as a cure for coughs, flu, and other common ailments. Although Bailey's Radium Laboratories in East Orange, New Jersey
was continually investigated by the Federal Trade Commission
, he died wealthy from his many devices and products, including an aphrodisiac called Arium, marketed as a restorative that "renewed happiness and youthful thrill into the lives of married peoples whose attractions to each other had weakened."
. He was later accepted to Harvard University
but did not graduate.
In 1918, Bailey claimed that radium added to drinking water could be used to treat dozens of conditions, from mental illness and headaches to diabetes, anemia, constipation, and asthma. Bailey became rich from the sale of Radithor
, a well known patent medicine
/snake oil
that is possibly the best known example of radioactive quackery
. Bailey created Radithor by dissolving radium salts in water to deliver 1 microcurie of radiation from each of Ra226 and Ra228, claiming its curative properties were due to stimulation of the endocrine system
. Radithor was advertised as "A Cure for the Living Dead" as well as "Perpetual Sunshine"
In fact, Radithor was a lethal mixture, and was responsible for the death of Eben Byers
in 1932, who died of radiation poisoning
after drinking about 1,400 bottles of Radithor.
During World War II, Bailey was the wartime manager of the electronic division of International Business Machines. He died on May 17, 1949.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
dropout who falsely claimed to be a doctor of medicine, and who promoted the use of radioactive radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
as a cure for coughs, flu, and other common ailments. Although Bailey's Radium Laboratories in East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
was continually investigated by the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, he died wealthy from his many devices and products, including an aphrodisiac called Arium, marketed as a restorative that "renewed happiness and youthful thrill into the lives of married peoples whose attractions to each other had weakened."
Biography
Bailey was born on May 25, 1884 in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Boston Latin SchoolBoston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
. He was later accepted to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
but did not graduate.
In 1918, Bailey claimed that radium added to drinking water could be used to treat dozens of conditions, from mental illness and headaches to diabetes, anemia, constipation, and asthma. Bailey became rich from the sale of Radithor
Radithor
Radithor was a patent medicine that is a well known example of radioactive quackery. It consisted of triple distilled water containing at a minimum each of the radium 226 and 228 isotopes.-History:...
, a well known patent medicine
Patent medicine
Patent medicine refers to medical compounds of questionable effectiveness sold under a variety of names and labels. The term "patent medicine" is somewhat of a misnomer because, in most cases, although many of the products were trademarked, they were never patented...
/snake oil
Snake oil
Snake oil is a topical preparation made from the Chinese Water Snake , which is used to treat joint pain. However, the most common usage of the phrase is as a derogatory term for quack medicine...
that is possibly the best known example of radioactive quackery
Radioactive quackery
Radioactive quackery refers to various products sold during the early 20th century, after the discovery of radioactivity, which promised radioactivity as a cure for various illnesses...
. Bailey created Radithor by dissolving radium salts in water to deliver 1 microcurie of radiation from each of Ra226 and Ra228, claiming its curative properties were due to stimulation of the endocrine system
Endocrine system
In physiology, the endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body. The endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals using ducts. It derives from the Greek words "endo"...
. Radithor was advertised as "A Cure for the Living Dead" as well as "Perpetual Sunshine"
In fact, Radithor was a lethal mixture, and was responsible for the death of Eben Byers
Eben Byers
Eben McBurney Byers was a wealthy American socialite, athlete, and industrialist. Byers earned notoriety in the early 1930s when he died from radiation poisoning after consuming a popular patent medicine made from radium dissolved in water.-Biography:The son of industrialist Alexander Byers, Eben...
in 1932, who died of radiation poisoning
Radiation poisoning
Acute radiation syndrome also known as radiation poisoning, radiation sickness or radiation toxicity, is a constellation of health effects which occur within several months of exposure to high amounts of ionizing radiation...
after drinking about 1,400 bottles of Radithor.
During World War II, Bailey was the wartime manager of the electronic division of International Business Machines. He died on May 17, 1949.