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X-rays discovered
German physicist, Wilhelm Roentgen discovers x-rays that can pass through most substances including the body while working with cathode ray tubes. -
Radium discovered
Radium was discovered by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie in their lab with Henri Becquerel researching radioactivity. -
Clarence Dally dies
Clarence Dally was a glassblower who worked with Thomas Edison. He dies in 1904 from an aggressive cancer in his hands from their work creating and testing x-ray tubes and testing them on Dally's hands. It is said that Dally was the first American to die from radiation exposure. -
Radiation protection and shielding is discussed
The effects of radiation are starting to become a concern amongst physicians and scientists working in the field. Radiation protection is a key topic discussed at the very first German Radiology Congress in 1905. This is the start of commercially produced radiation protection equipment. -
Elizabeth Fleischman dies
Fleischman was a pioneer in radiologic technology. She set up her own lab to x-ray patients in San Francisco on behalf of physicians. She experimented with imaging animals and different objects. After 7 years of her practice she sought medical care for x-ray dermatitis of her hands. In 1904, she is creited for introducing protective measures for operators of x-ray machines using double plate glass and metals. She died in 1905, several months after her arm, scapula, and clavicle were amputated. -
Henri Becquerel dies
Becquerel dies from "unknown" causes but we now know that it was likely from his work with radium. At the time of his death, he had serious skin burns. -
Mihran Kassabian dies
An Armenian-American early radiologist who is known for a positioning device to show that ribs are rounded when they were previously thought to be flat. Kassabian had serious radiation burns to his hands and fingers which were later amputated and he died shortly after a cancer-related surgery to remove muscle from his chest. -
Amelia Maggia dies
Mollie Maggia was a dial painter for United States Radium Corporation who died from radium jaw in 1922. At the time, her death (and many other dial painters) was attributed to syphilis but her corpse was later proved to have no signs of the disease but did have clear damage from radiation poisoning. -
Wilhelm Roentgen dies
Wilhelm Roentgen dies in 1923 from colorectal cancer. -
Eben Byers dies
Eben Byers was an Americal athelete and socialite who died in 1932 after ingesting large amounts of Radithor. Radithor was distilled water containing 1 microcurie of radium. -
Marie Curie dies
Marie Curie dies from anaplastic anemia in 1934. Her death is attributed to her work with radium and she was known to carry around small test tubes containing radioactive isotopes in her pocket and desk drawers.
