The X-ray machine, the first medical imaging device, was invented in Europe in the late 19th century. Americans got their first glimpse of this medical marvel on this date in 1896 in an exhibit in New York City. It quickly came into use in U.S. medicine, and then into overuse. Thomas Edison’s assistant Clarence Dally, after long, unshielded experimentation with X-rays, had both arms amputated, and then died in 1904 from exposure to radiation. X-rays have been largely surpassed by MRIs, CAT scans and PET scans. Manufacturing medical devices and supplies is the business of over 12,000 establishments in the country, with over 300,000 employees. Profile America is in its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Does anyone remember when shoe stores had x-ray machines to show how shoes fit?
Cooper Rain among an uncle’s ‘collection’ I discover a plaque warning of the danger of repeated exposure to x-ray for shoe fitting. According to the NY State Department of Health exposure to shoe fitting x-ray should be limited to 3 in one day and a total of 12 in one year.
Now I know why I have ugly toes.