Practical Points in the Use of the X-Ray

[ Philadelphia, PA ]: The Philadelphia Medical Journal, 1900. First Separate Edition. Wraps. Near Fine. First Separate Edition. 28 pages. 8vo (5 1/2 x 8 1/8 inches) Self wrappers, stapled. Minor soiling, a nice copy. The offprint issue. Illustrated. Wraps. X-Rays (Roentgen Rays) were discovered in 1895 and very quickly found interest in the medical community as a way to see "inside" without apparent adverse effects. This offprint offers practical tips on how to use apparatus to best use - "A machine is of no value unless it is properly manipulated..." and earlier "The differences in the results obtained by various x-ray operators, from machines identical in construction, prove that the possession of an apparatus is not the only requirement for successful and satisfactory work."

Weigel was an Orthopedic Surgeon in the state of New York who died early at the age of 52 from the effects of X-rays. First diagnosed in 1904 with malignancies in his hands, he died in May, 1906 after a number of amputations were performed to try and remove malignancies that appeared as a result of his exposures. Many early practitioners were exposed to levels of radiation that would cause serious concern were they used today. Nonetheless, the early, practical uses of the machines and how they worked are important to our historical understanding of a rapidly evolving field.