DAYS OF THE YEAR
If the hand be held between the discharge-tube and the screen,
the darker shadow of the bones is seen within the slightly dark
shadow-image of the hand itself… For brevity’s sake I shall use the
expression ‘rays’; and to distinguish them from others of this name I
shall call them ‘X-rays’. – Wilhelm Röntgen
In
1895 there was an incredible discovery made, one that would utterly
change the way we looked at the human body, both literally and
figuratively. On the back of this discovery, a million new technologies
would be developed in the areas of medicine, security, and much more.
The man who discovered all this? Wilhelm Röntgen, and as a result, he
may just be one of the most important men in medical history. X-Ray Day
celebrates his discovery and everything that’s come from it.
History of X-Ray Day
The X-Ray was discovered by accident, as part of an experiment where
Wilhelm was attempting to ascertain whether or cathode rays could pass
through glass. Nearby there was a chemically coated screen, and from it
was emanating an odd glow, and dubbed the rays causing that glow X-Rays.
Why you ask? Because he didn’t know what they were, so the ubiquitous
‘X for unknown’ was utilized. They’ve been called X-Rays ever since.
So
what are x-rays really? They’re energy waves of electromagnetism that
act in much the same way light rays do, but with an incredibly short
wavelength. 1,000 times shorter than those of light to be precise. Once
he discovered them, he began experimenting extensively with them,
determining what they could and couldn’t pass through, and how they
could be photographed. It was through this that he discovered that lead
absorbed it almost completely, and human bone would stop it, creating a
new and innovative way to see what was going on inside the human body.
X-Rays
were used extensively during the Balkan War to locate shrapnel,
bullets, and broken bones in soldiers in the field. X-Rays were used
extensively in things like shoe-fittings until it became apparent that
it wasn’t all fun and games. Now they’re used for things like security
at airports, material analysis, and more, but with much more attention
to safety.
How to celebrate X-Ray Day The
best way to celebrate X-Ray Day is to research X-Rays and what they’ve
done for us. Then you can sit down and try to think of all the different
ways that x-rays are used in modern living.