[PRCo] Re: First X-Rays in Pittsburgh

[Fred Schneider]

You have to live with me and my feet were subjected to those x- 
rays.    And now you know what happened.   f3

On Aug 19, 2007, at 9:59 PM, robert simpson wrote:

> Pittsburgh Railways and X-Rays
>
>   Hope this isn't too far off-topic.....
>
>   The first X-Ray machine in the Pittsburgh area was installed in  
> Shadyside Hospital on Centre Avenue in the early 1900's - in an era  
> when electricity was not yet common in the home or in the  
> hospital.  How they overcame this shortcoming was to run an  
> electrical cable from Pgh. Railway line on Centre Avenue into the  
> hospital.  This Direct Current from the railroad power line was  
> converted into a crude Alternating Current by a rotary device  
> driven by a motor which switched (reversed) polarity at close to 60  
> cycles per second.  This crude alternating current (actually more  
> of a "square wave") was acceptable to operate the large step-up  
> transformer needed for the X-Ray machine.  I once heard that the  
> voltage needed for these early X-Ray machines was around 80KV.  The  
> transformer was large because of the poor insulation on the wiring.
>
>   This X-Ray machine became quite a popular curosity when people  
> gathered around to see the amazing sight of a coin inside a Bible  
> being shown on the dim fluoroscope screen.  They also invided  
> people to place their hands in front of the X-Ray tube and people  
> could see the "inside" of their hands.  This was usually done at  
> night because of the dimness of the original fluoroscope screens  
> before image intensifiers had been invented.
>
>   This was, of course,  an era when the dangers of X-Radiation was  
> yet unknown.  The initial X-Ray machines were not shielded and was  
> just a "bare" X-Ray tube on a stand with the high-tension wires  
> attached.
>
>   I also remember the shoe fitting X-Ray machines from the 1950's  
> which are now banned by Federal and State laws.  Wonder if we will  
> ever know how much damage was done by these machines?  They were a  
> great attraction to the kids.
>
> Bob
>
>
>