ABSTRACT
It is difficult to trace the evolution of radiation protection chronologically with any authenticity, but at the same time a basic knowledge of this evolution gives a balanced perspective on the radiation dose and the accompanying risks. The first radiograph was taken by Rontgen himself of his wife's hand showing clearly the internal structure, thus suggesting the potential use of X-rays in diagnosis. The first invention was a handheld fluoroscope to investigate the abnormalities inside the patient. C. M. Dally, Edison's assistant, who made all the X-ray tubes and fluoroscopes for Edison, was the first X-ray martyr. The first International Congress of Radiology (ICR) was held in London in 1925. An important development at the ICR was the establishment of the International X-ray and Radium Protection Committee (IXRPC), which later became the International Commission on Radiological Protection or ICRP. The basis of tolerance dose, equating the absence of observable damage to safety, was still being questioned by many, even for X-rays.
