| Controversies and Problems Mystery Burns, Radium, and Conspiracy |
X-Ray technicians fell victim to the horrible side-effects of radiation. Mihran Kassabian documented and photographed his degeneration, hoping to help later technicians and patients avoid his fate. Copyright Radiology Centennial Inc.73 |
| The X-Ray was viewed as a miracle device
of the twentieth century; Americans invested their hopes and dreams of a
healthier future in the little tube. Yet the machine was not as wondrous
as they thought; the X-Ray's darker side began to raise its ugly head in
the early 20th century. Technicians and
scientists were struck with burns, cancerous tumors, and lesions where their
bodies had been in frequent contact with the machine and its rays. Amateurs
stopped experimenting with Crookes tubes after their subjects frequently
received burns that would not heal.74
The discovery of radium in 1898 by the Curies provided an explanation
for the dangerous wounds, but the the two ideas were not connected until
several years later.75 Even then the X-Ray
community failed to warn the public of the serious dangers they faced
every time they were in front of the ray.76
Meanwhile, the debate over the who should be qualified to take and
read the X-Rays raged across America. |
This woman, like thousands of others, suffered from burns, scarring, and cancer after undergoing X-Ray "beauty treatments". Copyright Radiology Centennial Inc.77 |
By the early 1900s, reports of X-Rays
damaging skin and killing organic life were widespread.77
More and more reports claimed that X-Rays had caused burns, redness,
brown pigmentation, hair loss, and skin cancer.78
In 1905,13 men who worked with X-Rays for over
three years discovered they were impotent.79 Even
Thomas Edison and his assistant were damaged through their work with the
rays; Edison complained of sore eyes and skin rashes and his young assistant,
Clarence Dally, went through the process of losing all of his
hair, every finger, and both hands. The burns had given way to "oozing
ulcers measuring three and a half by two and a half inches across" and he
was in constant pain until his death in 1904.80
A total of 28 Americans died from experimentation alone.81
|
| The
frightened public looked to scientists and doctors for answers. Phycisians
claimed that patients could not be harmed and that these cases were caused
by unusual circumstances such as ozone generated by static, excessive heat
and moisture, overexposure to electricity, or simply allergies.83
Scientists cautioned against using X-Rays and advocated the use
of lead shields, but their reports were disregarded by most in the medical
world. However, a variety of protective suits and zinc salves were
placed on the market to help alleviate the situation.84
Meanwihle, X-Ray apparatus companies attempted to fix the situation
by secretly experimenting with the machines while coating parts of in-use
machines with lead, which provided almost no protection whatsoever.85
The public had no idea of the danger they were in. A possible explanation emerged in 1898 with the Curie's discovery of radioactivity and radium.86 This discovery captured the public's imagination as the X-Ray did two years earlier. Radium began to appear everywhere; products such as bottled radium water, toothpaste, suppositories, and glowing radium cocktails along with radioactive hot spring spas were all the rage.87However, the fascination was so great that they failed to recognize the dangerous aftermath; only after the death of Marie Curie and other scientists involved in the research of radioactivity was the connection between it and X-Rays made. |
Early protective suits made of heavy aprons and metal helmets were introduced into the market, receiving less than stellar success.. Copyright Radiology Centennial Inc.82 |
| Also
during this time another problem emerged in the hospital environment. Since
their introduction into society, the X-Ray technicians had primarily been
photographers, scientists, and engineers.88 Because
the novelty had worn off and the medical world was adopting its use, doctors
wanted these technicians who held no medical degrees to either become certified
or quit.89 Special schools were established
to train men and women for X-Ray therapy and radiology. Correspondence
academies were the most popular among electricians and photographers, allowing
them to become "Doctors of Roentology" by mail.90
Doctors, who were
afraid their jobs would be replaced and of malpractice lawsuits, wanted further
certification and established the American Roenten Ray Society in 1900, ensuring
the reputation of their profession.91 Despite all of these problems and solutions, only through the onslaught of WWI and WWII did the X-Ray truly become completely accepted by American culture. More can be learned about this at the Military Impact Page. |