Who remembers these from the shoe store?

[stevej37]

Our local shoe store had a foot x-ray machine that was ready for anyone to use. I remember using it in the late 50's
Just step up and slip your foot (with shoe on) into the opening and it would show an x-ray of your foot for fitting. It was called a fluoroscope.
Whenever I went into the store with my family....I would step up and get the ray's.
I don't think it was a good idea.



https://derekcadzow.com/2020/03/18/and-then-my-feet-fell-off/

[mocha07]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Our local shoe store had a foot x-ray machine that was ready for anyone to use. I remember using it in the late 50's
Just step up and slip your foot (with shoe on) into the opening and it would show an x-ray of your foot for fitting. It was called a fluoroscope.
Whenever I went into the store with my family....I would step up and get the ray's.
I don't think it was a good idea.



https://derekcadzow.com/2020/03/18/and-then-my-feet-fell-off/

Thom Macan shops had them,many,many years ago!

[stevej37]

The one that I used was at a small town independent shoe store....but I do remember them having a sign out front for Buster Brown Shoes.

[LWJ]

I’m 57. Barely remember this. Don’t think I did it.

[stevej37]

^^^
70 here...and I think I was about 7 or 8 years old when the machines disappeared.
That would have been about 1960.

I think they were yanked by a gov't order when they realized the danger of too much x-rays.

[stomachmonkey]

I recall still seeing them in Germany during the 70s.

[rwest]

My underwear store has something similar; use it all the time...

[stevej37]

^^^ Don't forget to wear your lead skivvies.

[cassisrot]

Cambridge Maryland around 1950. I’ve always been concerned about the potential cancer effects. So far, so good.

[Zeke]

A version of that still exists in the hospital. You can be live on x-ray as they insert various objects. I had that done when they ran a needle into the joint of my shoulder to sample the infection.

The children's shoe store did have that in the 50's. That same store is still there as a Red Wing.

[stevej37]

^^^ What forced them to remove them from shoe stores?

[stevej37]

I'm wondering if the numerous x-rays on my feet in the store contributed to my bunions.

[Tobra]

No Steve, nothing to do with bunions.

When I was a kid, we went into a store that had one of those.

Mom, the anesthesiologist, turned us around the second she saw that thing and we never went back. I think it was Thom McCann

Fluoroscopy has a much higher radiation dose than regular x-rays

[stevej37]

^^^
No way am I interested in doing it...but I'm surprised no one has started a suit against these shoe companies.

My bunions, I think, are due to heredity. My mother, and my sisters and brother all have them also.

[Mahler9th]

Wow. I have not seen a pic of one of those in many moons.

I do not remember those gadgets.

But of course during the period they were out in the public, a lot was already known about the real and potential dangers of exposure to ionizing radiation from x-rays...

And of course there has been quite a bit of evolution in regulation all through the decades.

My first experiences were in June 1978 when I went to work as a summer engineering student for GE Medical Systems, which was once known as the GE X-Ray Department.

I was issued a film badge as part of getting started.

My first assignment was in systems engineering-- final prototype development of a $1 million vascular imaging system. First GE x-ray system that used microprocessors (s) in the control sub-system.

A few years later I was assigned to HW engineering for GE's first digital subtraction angiography system. I got to design (with supervision) a couple of small sub-systems.

At one point our CEO came down to the systems lab... and he got on the table! We did a mock study! I still have the films.

He was a great CEO, and after GE Med he went on to run GE CR&D for many years.

So many memories.... when I arrived at college after that first summer at GE, I learned that the first Dx x-ray ever performed in the U.S. had taken place at my college. Crazy coincidence that I will never forget.

Memories...

[Mahler9th]

Perhaps of interest...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=Mahler9th;12008492]Wow. I have not seen a pic of one of those in many moons.
I do not remember those gadgets.


I do and have used them frequently.

[Mahler9th]

Ahhh, I suspect your use has been in a professional capacity.

[sc_rufctr]

Oh ouch... That looks painful Steve

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Oh ouch... That looks painful Steve

No pain at all....as long as I wear the right shoes.