Radiation has always been in everyday life even before...

Radiation has always been in everyday life even before Roentgen discovered x-ray. The mountains give off natural radiation, other forms of radiation are coal burning power plants, x-rays from a TV, and an airplane ride. The average dose from background radiation is about 360 mrem every year. There are two types of radiation, nonionizing and ionizing radiation. Examples of nonionizing radiation are microwaves and radio waves broadcasting. Ionizing radiation refers to gamma and x-rays. Ionizing radiation means that the rays are able to remove an electron from the atom then ions can be formed. The ions can cause damage when reacting with other atoms. Cells are able to be repaired if low dose are received. However, if cells get a high dose,†¦show more content†¦If a pediatric patient receives a lot of radiation then their cells could be mutated and reproduce causing more mutated cells. Pediatric patients in the 1940’s with respiratory problems would be diagnosed with thei r thymus gland being enlarged. The thymus reacts to infection by enlarging. Infants would soon have an enlarged thymus following birth and physicians would give the infants doses of x-radiation to reduce the size. Because the thyroid is by the thymus, it would also receive a dose. After 20 years, most of those people exposed would develop thyroid carcinomas. (Statkiewicz-Sherer, 1983) X-ray was first discovered on November 8, 1895 by accident. Wilhelm Roentgen was conducting some laboratory experiments with cathode rays. A piece of cardboard, covered with fluorescent minerals, began to glow when the cathode was on. Roentgen immediately began to further his research with this accidental discovery. The first x-ray was of Anna’s hand (Wilhelm’s wife). Anna later died of sarcoma, which would later be discovered was from the radiation she had received. Many years later Wilhelm died in 1923 of carcinoma of the intestine. (Famous Scientist, 2013) The first â€Å"Radiology Martyr† is Clarence Dally. Thomas Edison discovered a device called fluoroscope. Clarence was Thomas’ assistant with many experiments. Edison stopped his experiments when he noticed that Clarence began to develop burns on his skin. These burns soon turned into malignant neoplasm.