Wilhelm Roentgen Influence in Early 20th Century

The discovery and use of X rays hit the ground running. People of the early 20th century immediately put Roentgen’s new discovery to use. Surgeons and physicians began using a diagnostic instrument that allowed them to look inside the bodies of their patients. X rays were first used to examine broken bones and set them properly in the casts. Not all people were excited about X rays at the time. Women believed that the technology of X rays could fit into glasses and that X rays ruined the modesty of women. No one at the time knew the real harms of X rays though. X rays can cause chronic pain, which sometimes leads to cancer. Many brilliant minds in this time died of leukemia and other types of cancer. Only from lots of exposure of cancer does X rays cause harm. Immediately after this discovery doctors used X rays with everything to detect cancer. X rays saved many more lives than it harmed. Tuberculosis was a widespread disease and chest X rays could identify the TB and treat it during the early symptoms. This discovery helped around 90 percent of patients during the early 20th century. X rays had a great influence medically at the time and it soon spread out of Europe and to the entire world.