The rapid birth of radiation therapy
We have come a long way in a short amount of time. In the 128 years since x-rays were discovered, the technology and use of ionizing radiation has engulfed the entire world in nearly every part of our daily lives. We use radiation to make our food safer to eat, check for contraband in luggage, test for defects when manufacturing spacecraft, and of course, increase our lifespan through many medical applications.
Even though 128 years seems like a blink of an eye in human history, I’m amazed at just how quickly ionizing radiation burst onto the scene so soon after its discovery. The first-time x-ray was used clinically was on January 11th, 1896 – only 2 months after Roentgen’s discovery – by John Hall-Edwards in Birmingham, England to examine a needle stuck in the hand of one of his patients.
Also in 1896, Emil Grubbe was making cathode ray tubes and noticed that the skin on his hands was falling off and ulcerating. He had the idea to use radiation on Rose Lee, a hopeless breast cancer patient. The tumors shrank and he founded a radiation therapy facility in Chicago.
We, at Atom Physics Staffing, also pride ourselves on being fast acting and responsive to the changing world around us. We would love to help your radiation therapy department meet your staffing needs and come up with unique technology driven solutions. We staff radiation oncologists, medical physicists, medical dosimetrists and radiation therapists. Contact us now to discuss innovative solutions to your staffing needs.