BSHR

the British Society for the History of Radiology

INTRODUCTIONS TO RADIOLOGY HISTORY

100 Years of Medical Radiology, Adrian Thomas

The Story of Radiology, ESR     Pt1 Pt2

X-Rays in Medicine - the First Century

Early American radiology: the pioneer years, D J DiSantis AJR, 147, 1986

Preserving, celebrating radiology’s revolutionary road RSNA News

NEW BOOK REVIEWS

An Interventional Radiology Odyssey: The Story of my Life and Work
 by Josef Rosch

 Louis Harold Gray: a founding  father of radiobiology  by S Wynchank.

Genes,  Flies , Bombs and a Better Life -  in  the  footsteps  of Hermann  Muller

by Geoff Meggitt    

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THE ORAL HISTORY SOCIETY

BSHR has recently joined the Oral History Society as a group member. It gives us access to their Journal and services. Take a look at their website for details.

If you wish to look at the Journal you will need our group username and password. Members can obtain these from the Secretary. Email info.bshr@gmail.com

NEW

 Bibliography and Reading List in Radiology History — pdf

Scientists are Putting the X-factor back in X-rays

Click here for this article in Popular Science with contributions from Arpan Banerjee

RADIOLOGY AND NOBEL PRIZES

Check Arpan Banerjee’s recent article in Rad magagzine on Radiology and Nobel Prizes

NEW

IOMP PROJECT HISTORY OF MEDICAL PHYSICS (SELECTED CHAPTERS)

X-RAY TUBES DEVELOPMENT - IOMP HISTORY OF MEDICAL PHYSICS Rolf Behling

FILM-SCREEN RADIOGRAPHY RECEPTOR DEVELOPMENT: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Perry Sprawls

HISTORY OF MEDICAL PHYSICS E-LEARNING: INTRODUCTION AND FIRST ACTIVITIES - IOMP HISTORY OF MEDICAL PHYSICS Slavik Tabakov

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BOOK REVIEW

Taming the Rays -a history of radiation and protection

by Geoff Meggitt   pp 422  Pitchpole Books 2018

ISBN978-0-9575549-8-6

Reviewed by Dr Arpan K Banerjee Past Chair Brit Soc Hist Radiology

This is the second edition  of a book first published  to great acclaim a decade ago.

The early pioneers did not understand the harmful effect of x-rays and other forms of radiation and chronic overexposure led to a number of early casualties ,  skin burns , hand amputations  etc  many who were commemorated  in a monument,  The Martyrs  memorial, built in the grounds of St George’s Hospital, Hamburg.

The book starts with the  coverage  of  the early years of X-rays and radioactivity. It is interesting to note that protective wear appeared as early as 1898 and gloves and aprons became routine in 1905. Even Hall Edwards, a future radiation martyr,  recommended  that tubes should be shielded and the operator should keep his distance and wear lead glasses when viewing a fluorescent screen. He also knew that the effects were cumulative. He even wrote an article on the harmful effects of radiation using his amputated hand as an example.

The chapter on fission and weapons  is a truly international coverage of this subject and makes  both interesting but chilling reading especially when covering the recent Chernobyl disaster. The concepts of dose and genetic and somatic effects are covered in detail. There are also useful chapters on radiation measurement and safety as well as a chapter on the development of organisations which specifically  set about dealing with the issues of radiation protection and safety including coverage of the  X-ray and Radiation Protection Committee’s work chaired by Sir Humphrey Rolleston  (Cambridge Professor of Medicine)  which published reports and recommendations  to ensure the safety of workers involved with radiation in the 1920’s.

This is a comprehensive  well researched  monograph which is international in its coverage and referenced  comprehensively a feature which will help those interested in the primary resources and  looking up further information .

Many will dip in and out and are bound to find  interesting  information  in this informative  and scholarly contribution to this very important field of study.