X-rays

Were X-rays used in the First World War?

X-rays were first invented in 1895, but they were put to more common use during the First World War.

How were X-rays used in the First World War?

There were 2 main uses of X-rays in the First World War:

• ❖ Before surgeons operated on patients with bullet and shrapnel injuries, two X-rays were taken of the wounds, so the surgeons knew exactly where the pieces were located.
• ❖ British Base Hospitals, and some Casualty Clearing Stations, had large X-ray machines.

What were mobile X-ray units in the First World War?

There are 3 main things to note about mobile X-ray machines:

• ❖ Pioneering radiologist, Marie Curie, developed mobile X-ray machines that could be transported in vans, and used at the Western Front.
• ❖ The RAMC had six mobile X-ray units on the Western Front.
• ❖ Mobile X-ray units were set up in a tent at the back of a van, and powered by the van's engine.

What were the disadvantages of X-ray machines during the First World War?

The use of X-rays in the First World War was problematic, particularly with the mobile units. There were 5 main problems.

• ❖ The radiation from X-ray machines could be harmful and cause burns.
• ❖ Pictures from mobile X-ray machines were of poorer quality than those from the larger static machines. They were, however, usually good enough for the surgeons to work from.
• ❖ Soldiers had to remain still for a few minutes while the X-ray was taken, even if they were in pain.
• ❖ The tubes of the X-ray machine were fragile, and became too hot if the machine was used for more than an hour at a time.
• ❖ X-rays could only identify objects such as bullets and shrapnel. They could not identify fragments of clothing or soil in a wound.