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- Newsgroups: alt.cesium
- Path: sparky!uunet!orca!javelin.sim.es.com!biesel
- From: biesel@javelin.sim.es.com (Heiner Biesel)
- Subject: Re: Elemental, my dear Watson.
- Message-ID: <1992Sep10.150749.725@javelin.sim.es.com>
- Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
- References: <1992Sep9.152308.14188@javelin.sim.es.com> <1992Sep10.001057.1719@nntp.uoregon.edu>
- Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 15:07:49 GMT
- Lines: 24
-
- mikeehli@cie.uoregon.edu (Mike Ehli) writes:
-
- >In article <1992Sep9.152308.14188@javelin.sim.es.com> biesel@javelin.sim.es.com (Heiner Biesel) writes:
- >>Sure, Cesium is nice, and will suffice, but I want my astatine. Lives
- >>there an element more enshrouded in mystery than this? What a mellifluous
- >>name, what bizarre properties! Ah, astatine ...
-
- >But what I want to see is some research into the properties of francium
- >astatide...but I'll settle for hydroastatic acid....
- >Francium hydroxide with a jigger of promethium?
-
- Funny you should bring that up. Francium astatide is used extensively in the
- manufacture of Blevins catheters. Alkaline salts of astatine find use in
- the curing of Slim Jims, and - curiously enough - in the castration of
- laboratory mice. Elemental astatine is a key ingredient in devices for
- reducing the accumulation of static charge on plastics, primarily polyvinyl
- chloride. 3,4 dimethoxy 5 astatine phenylacetonitrile keeps buggy whips
- supple, thus sustaining America's leading role in this vital international
- industry. I think it would be fair to say that without astatine and its
- many vital contributions to technology, commerce, animal husbandry, and
- the arts, life as we know it would come to an end, but I won't say it.
-
- Regards,
- H. Biesel
-