The X-ray Technology Display Case
Special thanks to Volunteer Nancy Wilms for help in digitizing this display.
Red Goggles
These goggles helped radiologists avoid the inefficiency of waiting for their eyes to dilate to see in the dark. The goggles also prevented the discomfort of having to quickly readjust their eyes when re-entering the light. The radiologists simply kept the goggles on top of their head while doing fluoroscopic procedures in a darkened room. Then, if they needed to come out to make phone calls or talk to someone, they would pull the googles down to shield their eyes and keep them acclimated to the dark. Today’s image intensification eliminates the need for these goggles.
Crooks Tube
This is a device for the production of a beam of high speed electrons, which was focused on a metal target to produce X-rays. It is the heart of the X-ray process. The Cookes tube shown is one of the earliest models used in our hospital. It is similar to the tubes used by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, who discovered X-rays in 1895. These tubes were used well into the second decade of the twentieth century.
Sweets Localization
If a patient suffered from a foreign body in the eye, this device was used to determine how far back and sideways the object was located. The prongs of this device, used as a measurement guide, were placed in the X-ray field at the exact level of the eye, with pictures taken from both the front and side view.
Mini X-Ray Cassette
Used from the 1930’s to 1960’s to hold X-ray film stationary and keep it dark until time to take an X-ray. This miniature model was used to take small pictures to save film.
The white bar on the handle of the removable silver tray meant the film was unexposed. After taking an X-ray, the tray was flipped over to show a black bar. This simple color code, which could be seen at a glance, helped radiological technicians avoid film mix-ups.
Paper Film Holder for X-Rays
This was the earliest way to put film under a patient and take an X-ray. The holder was backed with lead, which stopped the X-rays from penetrating it. This prevented the X-rays from bouncing back and over-exposing the patient or darkening the film.
Here is the whole case as set up on display.
Other documents on display:
Wisconsin Administrative Code on Radiation Protection HSS 157 (from 1983)
Gonadal Shielding in Diagnostic Radiology (FDA 74-8028 from 1974)
Mercy Renal Arteriogram - Patient Education binder (1970s?)
Murphy Buttons
[Not X-ray Technology, but it had to go somewhere on display!]
This was one way to reconnect the two ends of the intestine after a middle portion was surgically removed due to ulcer perforations or cancer. The buttons come apart and each half fits inside one end of the severed bowel. Then the buttons were snapped together to help the intestine heal. The buttons would eventually pass through the bowel.