The X-Ray

In 1895, an important breakthrough occurred that would forever change the medical world. This was the invention of the x-ray or radiograph. The process was discovered by a German physicist named Wilhelm Rontgen.  He was studying the path of electrical rays passing from an induction coil through a partially evacuated glass tube. Although the room was completely dark, he noticed that a screen several feet away that was covered in fluorescent material had been illuminated by the rays. He later learned that a number of objects could be penetrated by the rays and an image of his own hand showed the contrast between the opaque bones and the translucent flesh. He took photographs and one of the first x-rays was of his wife’s hand, where you can see her wedding rings (British Library).

Rontgen's wife's hand. Source: WellcomeTrust

This was a major discovery for the medical community because it meant that the internal structures of the body could be visible without surgical intervention. Soon after in 1896, an x-ray department had been created at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary which was one of the first radiology departments in the world.  Dr. John Macintyre was the head of the department and he produced some impressive x-rays of a kidney stone, a penny stuck in a child’s throat, and frog’s legs in motion. X-rays were also used to treat soldiers in the Boer War and WWI, for locating bullets and fractures (British Library). The first diagnostic x-ray taken in America was by Dr. Gilman Frost at Dartmouth. It was of the broken wrist of a local schoolboy (Dartmouth Magazine). 

 

Frost taking an x-ray of the boy's wrist. Source: Dartmouth College Archives

Some even began using the rays to treat disease. Electrotherapy had been popularly used for the temporary relief of pain and it could also generate x-rays. A Chicago electrotherapist, Emil Grubbe, irradiated a woman with a recurrent cancer of the breast. By the end of 1896, other researchers noted the palliative effects of using rays on cancer. It was also used to treat surface lesions and other skin problems (American Physical Society).

X-rays also became a novelty for the general public.  Just a few months after its discovery, DIY x-ray kits became available on the market. The wealthy and the famous all wanted to get their hands x-rayed while wearing plenty of jewelry.  Photographers began x-raying all sorts of subjects just to see what they looked like in this form (Wired).  The use of x-rays showed up in political cartoons, short stories, poems, and advertising. Even lead underwear was developed to foil attempts at peeking using “x-ray glasses” (American Physical Society).

Hand of the wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. Source: Wired

Chameleon. Source: Wired

It was eventually recognized that frequent exposure to x-rays is harmful which is why specific measures are taken today to protect patients and doctors. Many people who were x-rayed early on or who worked with the original machines suffered from radiation burns and loss of hair. Recently, an x-ray machine from the 1890s was discovered by Gerrit Kemerink, a physicist in the Netherlands. Kemerlink used the machine to x-ray a hand specimen from a hospital. He found that while the image was taken, the hand received a radiation dose 1,500 times greater than today’s dosage. It also took 90 minutes of exposure time compared to the 20 milliseconds used with today’s machines (Waters).

Still, without those early machines we would never have the technology we do today which has greatly improved our knowledge of the human body and made important contributions to science. Rontgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize in physics in 1901 for his discovery. He never sought honors or financial profits for his research. He didn’t take any patents out on x-rays because he wanted the world to freely benefit from his work (American Physical Society).  

Sources:

"Inventions: Diagnostic X-Rays." Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. Dartmouth Engineer Magazine, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

"November 8, 1895: Roentgen's Discovery of X-Rays." American Physical Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

"Roentgen's Discovery of the X-ray." British Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

Waters, Hannah. "The First X-ray, 1895." The Scientist. N.p., 01 July 2011. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

"Wellcome Image of the Month: The Left Hand Of Anna Roentgen." Wellcome Trust Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

"X-Ray Discovery Sparked 19th-Century DIY Craze." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 17 Nov. 2008. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.