THE CHROMORADIOMETRE OF DR. H. BORDIER
Stock Number: 9430
$1150.
For sale, the first commercial dosimeter, designed to measure the dosage of radiation by applying a disk to the patient's skin, exposing it to radiation, and comparing the color of the disk with standards along the slot, as a measure of dosage.
Dimensions
$1150.
Circa
c.1910
Country of manufacture
France
Description
THE CHROMORADIOMETRE OF DR. H. BORDIER, French, c. 1910, contained in the original 6-5/8″ x 5-1/8″ (17 x 13 cm) fitted case lined in red silk and red velvet. The device was made by “Maison S. Maury, 7 Quai Claude-Bernard, Lyon,” and consists of a printed card in a glazed gilt metal frame with suspension chain. Six colored paper windows are pasted along a central slot in the card, and a considerable supply of small comparison test disks are included. Condition is very fine and all original.
In use one glues a disk to the patient’s skin or other tissue, irradiates with x-rays, and compares the disk’s color with the standards along the slot, as a measure of dosage. The disks are made of barium platinocyanide, which changes color progressively from green to dark yellow-orange as a result of irradiation.
An early attempt to quantize radiation dosage, this was apparently the first commercial dosimeter.
Ask the Dealer
Dealer information
TESSERACT
David and Yola Coffeen both have enjoyed academic careers, as planetary astronomer and as linguist/educator. But since 1982 (yes, 1982!) they have been full-time dealers in early scientific and medical instruments, under the name Tesseract. Selling primarily by catalogue (over 100 issued so far) they also have a web presence at www.etesseract.com, and can be contacted at [email protected].