X-ray security machine, 1900
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X-ray security machine, 1900
X-ray security machine. Historical artwork of a fluoroscope being used in a late 19th-century French customs hall. The fluoroscope was designed and built by the French inventor Eugene Ducretet (1844-1915). This model is by another French inventor, Seguy. The device was used to examine postal packets and parcels using X-rays (source behind the suitcase being examined), which were discovered in 1895. The fluoroscope worked by using a screen coated with calcium fluoride to stop the X-rays and produce light instead, a process known as fluorescence. If an object being examined stopped the X-rays, then it would show up as a dark area on the glowing screen. Artwork from A Travers l Electricite (G. Dary, Paris, 1900)
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Media ID 6468265
© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
1900 1900s A Travers L Electricite Border Checking Customs Dary Device Early Fluorescence Fluoroscopy France French History Of Science Inspecting Invention Luggage Machine Officials Radiography Scanning Security Suitcase Tourist Traveller Uniform Uniformed X Ray Machine X Rays Customs Official False Coloured Inspectors Physical Seguy Smuggler Suitcases
EDITORS COMMENTS
This historical artwork captures a significant moment in the evolution of security technology. In this late 19th-century French customs hall, we witness the use of an X-ray security machine, designed and built by renowned inventor Eugene Ducretet. The device, depicted here as a model created by another ingenious French inventor named Seguy, revolutionized the examination process for postal packets and parcels. The fluoroscope employed in this apparatus utilized X-rays discovered just five years prior to this scene. By coating a screen with calcium fluoride, it effectively halted the X-rays while generating light through fluorescence. As objects passed through the machine's inspection area, any obstruction would manifest as a dark region on the glowing screen. Intriguingly portrayed within this artwork is a uniformed male official attentively examining luggage using this groundbreaking technology. His meticulous scrutiny aims to detect hidden contraband or illicit items that may be concealed within suitcases carried by travelers crossing borders. This image not only showcases early advancements in radiography but also highlights how science and innovation have long played crucial roles in ensuring public safety. It serves as a testament to human ingenuity and our constant pursuit of technological solutions to address evolving challenges throughout history. Artwork: "X-ray Security Machine" from A Travers l'Electricite (G. Dary, Paris, 1900) | Science Photo Library
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