Radium Protection: Measurements of Exposure to Gamma Rays

Abstract

NEED for protection against roentgen rays was not realized until the many tragic fatalities among the pioneers in roentgenology shocked the medical profession into positive action. Co-operative efforts of radiologists, physicists, and designers of x-ray equipment produced safety measures which are effective when enforced. Protection from the more penetrating rays emitted by radium has evolved more slowly. From the days of the Becquerel burn, in 1901, the need for caution was apparent. The gamma rays of radium are far more penetrating than the roentgen rays ordinarily used in therapy or diagnosis. There are a few 1,000,000-volt machines now functioning in this country, and they produce rays comparable to the softer gamma rays; to equal the hard gamma rays, from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 volts would be necessary. Hence, protection in radium work is a more difficult problem than in roentgen therapy or diagnosis. The innocent appearance of the small platinum or brass or gold cartridges containing the powerful el...