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Chronology of the First Half Century of Radiation

(Table 0.1)

by R. Kathren and P. Ziemer

Form edited for WWW publication

1895

November 8 - Discovery of X Rays----- W.K. Roentgen

	January 3 - X-Ray report made public
	February - Discovery of Radioactivity -----H. Becquerel
	March 3 - First reports of possible x-ray injury; damage to eyes -----T.A. Edison, W.J. Morton
	March 14 - Concern expressed over possibility of x-ray injury -----F. Battelli
	April 10 - Epilation noted from x-ray exposure -----J. Daniel
	April 18 - Skin effects first noted -----L. G. Stevens
	July - First x-ray protective device: a heavy glass plate to protect the eyes during dental radiography -----W.H. Rollins
	Reports of accidental injury (burns) -----H.D. Hawks
	November 18 - Deliberately induced experimental injury (burns) -----E. Thomson
	Gold leaf electroscope used to make ionization measurements -----L. Benoist

Air thermometer used to measure energy transfer by x-rays -----E. Dorn

	January - Aluminum filter used as protective device -----E. Thomson
	May - Dark adaptation prior to fluoroscopy suggested -----F.H. Williams
	July - Leaded x-ray tub housing; collimators -----W.H. Rollins
	July - Word "radioactivity" coined -----P. & M. Curie
	December - Radium discovered -----P. & M. Curie
	Gamma rays discovered -----P. Villard

	April - Radiographer licensure recommended to protect public -----J. Dennis
	May - Malpractice award for x-ray burns
	Ozone hazard of x-ray generators noted
	Listing of protective devices (gloves, aprons, etc.) in x-ray catalog -----R. Friedlander Co.

Increased target to skin distance to reduce skin dose -----M.K. Kassabian

	January 3 - X-ray lethality to person alleged
	Skin burn caused by radium carried on person -----H. Becquerel
	X-ray lethality to mammals demonstrated experimentally -----W.H. Rollins

X-ray lethality to mammalian fetus demonstrated -----W.H. Rollins

	Fractionation of exposure in fluoroscopy -----W.H. Rollins
	Protection committee within ARRS proposed -----S.H. Monell
	First direct reading radiation instrument; spinthariscope -----W. Crookes

Ocotober - First death in x-ray pioneer attributed to cumulative overexposure -----C.M. Dally

Radiation unit based on ionization first proposed -----M. Franklin

Law of radiosensitivity of tissues put forth -----J. Bergonie & R. Tribondeau

	Mutation by x-ray reported in toads -----C.R. Bardeen
	Photographic plate carried in pocket for monitoring x-ray exposure -----R.V. Wagner
	Use of gas-filled tubes for detection of radiation -----E. Rutherford

International radium standard and Curie unit -----M. Curie

Half value layer concept -----T. Christan

Hot cathode x-ray tubes and tungsten targets permitting higher voltages -----W.D. Coolidge

British Roentgen Society adopts radiation protection recommendations

First standing x-ray protection committee -----ARRS

British X-Ray and Radium Protection Committee issues first memorandum

	American Roentgen Ray Society adopts radiation protection rules
	Film badges for personnel monitoring -----G. Pfahler

First "tolerance dose" proposed -----A. Mutscheller

	Genetic effects of x-rays shown -----H.J. Muller
	First commercial U.S. ionization chamber -----J. Victoreen

	Roentgen unit formally adopted
	International X-Ray and Radium Protection Committee formed (forerunner of ICRP)

	U.S. Advisory committee on X-Ray and Radium Protection formed (forerunner of NCRP)
	First portable survey meter -----L.S. Taylor

USACXRP publishes first recommendations - 0.2 R/day

	Concept of greater permissible dose for partial body irradiation (hands) introduced -----G. Failla
	Discover of the neutron -----E. Chadwick

	ICXRP recommends permissible dose of 0.2 R/day
	0.1 R/day (0.5 R/wk)

Statement of the Bragg-Gray principle of cavity ionization -----L.H. Gray

USACXRP recommends reduction in permissible dose to 0.1 R/day

	USACXRP recommends adoption of maximum body burden of 0.1 microCi for radium
	Suggested maximum permissible dose of 0.02 R/day -----L.S. Taylor

Manhattan District

4 R/wk shown to cause injury -----H.M. Parker

	Maximum permissible concentration for inhaled radioactivity introduced -----H.M. Parker
	Rem and rep introduced -----H.M. Parker

0.3 R/wk

0.3 rem/wk

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