The Effects of Radium in Producing Lethal Mutations in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

A preliminary paper announcing that radium rays produce lethal mutations in D. melanogaster. 423 control pairs of flies gave no lethals; 426 pairs exposed to 150 mg. pure radium gave 8.2% lethals; 426 pairs treated with gamma x-rays only gave 2.8% lethals. This is the first step in distinguishing which elements in radium are responsible for results obtained.