A Brief History
On December 28, 1895, the world of medicine and airport security were forever changed when William Roentgen published his paper describing the production of X-rays.
Digging Deeper
Digging deeper, we find Roentgen, a German physicist, having invented a machine to produce electro-magnetic radiation emitting X-rays.
Sometimes called Roentgen Rays in honor of their discoverer, his research and careful documentation led to Roentgen receiving the first Nobel Prize for Physics.
Quickly seizing the opportunity his research afforded him, Roentgen developed a way to pass X-rays through an object and onto a target material to create a picture of the inside of the material, most notably, the bones inside a person. His wife became the first person ever to be x-rayed.
Of course, the potential of such unprecedented ability to see into an object developed into one of the most important medical diagnostic tools available, and X-rays of lungs and bones and other organs are now incredibly common.
X-rays are used for a variety of industrial application in materials that are permeable to them. Unfortunately, x-ray radiation in excessive amounts is dangerous and many researchers and technicians were injured by them through radiation burns or getting cancer from overexposure. It is also extremely possible that patients that were exposed to excessive X-rays suffered genetic damage or got cancer.
Today, x-ray technicians wear protective (lead) aprons or leave the room during the exposure, watching from behind a lead shielded wall. Patients are frequently draped with lead protective pads, especially in the area of reproductive organs. Additionally, X-rays are now carefully regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiations needed for the test and are much safer than they used to be.
People born after the 1950s may not remember that x-ray machines were once found in shoe stores where customers and salesmen could see through the shoe exactly how the foot fit! This practice was quickly discontinued when the dangers were realized.
Finally, we can thank Herr Doktor Roentgen for supplying the movie and fiction industry with an endless assortment of x-ray vision devices and superheroes with x-ray vision! As to whether or not those x-ray glasses you see advertised in comic books really work, you will just have to order a pair and find out!
Question for students (and subscribers): Have you ever owned x-ray glasses? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information on the historical significance of X-rays, we encourage you to read:
Gunderman, Richard B. X-Ray Vision: The Evolution of Medical Imaging and Its Human Significance. Oxford University Press, 2012.
And just for fun…
Demararis, Kirk. MAIL-ORDER MYSTERIES. Pocket Books, 2011.
The Original X-ray Spex – Amazing X-ray Vision! [Toy]. American Paper Optics.
The featured image in this article, one of the first medical images of X-ray use, is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1926.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="925 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=925">26 Comments
I never knew that x-rays were used in shoe stores to see how a shoe fit someone’s foot! There must have been a lot of dangers with the radiation. However, this was a clever idea, and I wonder if there will be a similar technology that does this in the future with all the statistics out there revolving around people wearing the wrong sized shoe, which later causes foot problems.
I too did not know that X-Rays were used in shoe stores to see how a shoe fit. Now knowing the dangers that comes with getting an X-Ray, you can see how this can be concerning! I wonder if, as our generation gets older, the amount of cancer seen will decrease because we have been more cautious about our X-Ray use.
I think its really cool that his wife was the first person in history to ever be X rayed. However, I also think that its sad that like with all new inventions, they didn’t understand the full side effects such as possible cancer and overexposure burns. As with most things, we have learned and are able to do what we can to prevent such effects.
What an great start to the use of x-rays. While they did cause harm in the form of burns or cancer, fortunately we have learned from these mistakes and are more cautious about the over exposure to the rays.
Hearing how dangerous the rays can be, it is hard to imagine something like x-ray glasses. The concept is cool for superhero fiction, but there is probably too much danger surrounding x-rays to actually make use of them in a wearable technology.
It seems so unnecessary to use an x-ray to see how your foot can fit in a shoe. Just feel it with your foot!
X-Rays were used so loosely in the past! No wonder they caused so many health issues in our history.
X-rays are one of medicines most clever and most often used inventions. It is amazing how Roentgen came up with the idea. I am sure X-rays were extremely dangerous at first and probably killed more people than they saved. However, I am extremely thankful that technology has helped us make X-rays safer today and we actually use them to our advantage. Also, same with previous commenters, I was not aware that X-rays were used to fit someone’s feet in the right shoe. Even though it sounds dangerous, I think it is a brilliant idea and something like that should be invented!
Learned from the past mistakes, while it makes almost no sense that they used the X-Rays for fitting shoes, they have come a long way today to help people. Certainly the safety precautions have come along nicely as well.
I would doubt that X-Ray vision goggles will ever be a real toy before the end of our time. It seems too dangerous. Using x-rays to size feet was actually a great idea until the dangers were realized.
I would hope x Ray goggles are never a thing. It sounds too dangerous having x rays that’s close to your eyes based on the sort of damage the Rays can do. It’s also really creepy to think about people walking around with these on the streets. It’s ridiculous they used to have x rays in shoe stores to see how a shoe fits on a foot. Can’t you feel yourself if the shoe is too big or too small?
Although x-ray glasses sound really cool I can’t see them existing unless someone can figure out how to make them less dangerous. The amount of radiation you would be using so close to your eyes all the time would be too dangerous for people to actually use.
X-Ray glasses would not work today. It would cause the eye to go blind due to the radiation the glasses would put off. Great idea and maybe one day it will be possible but for now it would be a liability for people using them for the wrong intentions and cause of injury.
I cannot believe that x-ray’s were in shoe stores! I don’t really see the point of X-ray vision, personally. Maybe for police or TSA.
X-ray technology is fascinating. Recently in the airport, I noticed the x-ray technology being used in security to be sure passengers were not bringing illegal objects onto the plane in their carry on. The uses are endless for this type of technology, and it is reassuring to read that safety precautions, such as wearing lead pads, are being practiced.
It is crazy that they used x-ray machines in shoe stores! I am glad they quickly discontinued this after realizing the dangers this brought. I think x-ray vision is important today, especially when used in airports with TSA.
When it comes to inventing amazing things, there is not surprise that people got injured. It is unfortunate that people would get cancer and burns from the radiation but because of their struggles the x-ray has become an amazing tool.
Throughout history, there has always been trial and error, this is another example. Glad they finally figured out how to keep the rays from damaging people or exposing them to cancer. Never knew that they used to carry X-Rays in show stores to fit people with their right shoe size.
I am curious how many people were damaged due to the use of these early x ray machines. If you think about it x ray technology is amazing. To think that we are able to use a machine to look inside our own body’s is crazy. I am thankful for this invention because without it who knows where we would be.
I would definitely order X-ray glasses if a model existed and worked today. As far as X-rays being used in shoe stores, it is a good thing that they were discontinued. Imagine going to get a new pair of shoes and leaving with a radiation burn!
People must have hailed the use of x-rays in shoe stores as revolutionary for the times. In all honestly it is a genius idea, if it were not for the harmful dangers and all. Could you imagine getting a new pair of shoes and getting an x-ray done? How crazy would that be.
It is hilarious that X-Ray machines were found in shoe stores. If the shoe fits isn’t that all we need to know? I guess that fad just needed to be everywhere because of everyone’s curiosity.
Along with Matt’s comment, I too am curious of how many of those injured during the use of these dangerous machines if not covered properly. Especially those used in a shoe store.. what were the damages?
Crazy to think people were exposing themselves to x-rays just to see if their shoe fit correctly. But then again we see early inventions blow up with major consequences today. Like the “Hover-Boards.”
This sounds dumb now but everything starts somewhere. Back then this was probably the thing to do. I wonder what we do today, that will get laughed at in the future.
It is interesting learning about the history of X-rays. Personally, I have been x-rayed about 12 times.