Just how radio active the needles are was not mentioned. Also I

It's nothing to worry about. They are no different than the "glow in
the dark" clock and radio dials from back in the 40's 50's and maybe
60's. There was a small amount of radio active material mixed in with
the phorphour causing it to glow.

suspect that some R390A went to MARS members and may not have been
demilitarized. I had one for many years and this was the first I
heard about the needles.

I'd guess this is just a CYA by the government after some lawyer
realized the stuff was still out there. The material is *very* low
level" and could be hazardous IF you get it in your mouth or a cut"
and in today's sue happy society I can see why they might panic.
However the stuff is basically harmless unless you provoke it.

I once broke a device in my hands with enough radioactive Cesium in
it to really light up the counters. The hazmat team found the device
in the lab under a metal pail, a string of clothes down the hall, and
me standing in the shower. Again they said as long as I had not put
my hands near my mouth, nose, or eyes or gotten the material in some
cuts (the counter confirmed I hadn't) they said I did the right thing.
BTW, I even got my clothes back. :-))

Back in the days when they were making the dials, word has it that
some of the women doing the painting were getting sick. They'd twirl
the end of the brush on their tongues to keep a point on the brush and
were ingesting the material.


For any one who has been around a while, look at how they treat
mercury now and how we used to treat it 50 and 60 years ago. Break a
thermomenter and they close a lab while the hazmat team cleans up. We
used to "silver" coins and rigs with the stuff and carry it around.
I'd guess the Mercury is far more dangerous than any radioactivity
from those dials and markings.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com