Mobile x-ray cabinets in the First World War 1914 – 1918 (ukrainian context)

Abstract

The article deals with the participation of Ukrainian scientists and the public in the organization of a new type of X-ray cabinets – mobile –to provide emergency X-ray assistance near the theater of combat during the First World War. The outbreak of war created a wide field of activity for medical radiology specialists. At that time, not all medical facilities, especially the newly established infirmary near the front line, were equipped with X-ray equipment. During this period, a public organization, the Commission for Assistance to Wounded X-ray Investigations (the Kyiv X-ray Commission), was set up in Kyiv, which launched a wide range of financial and technical support services for radiological assistance. At its initiative, in April 1915, the first mobile cabinet on a horse-drawn cart was created to meet the needs of the Kiev hospitals. The special boxes housed a complete set of equipment for X-ray examination, which was then installed in the premises of the client's medical facility. The presence of a doctor of the relevant qualification was a prerequisite for the invitation of the cabinet. The study showed that the operation of the cabinet was quite successful, due to its ease of deployment, mobility and independence from the electricity grid.

Subsequently, for the needs of the front, with the participation of the Kiev X-ray Commission, 8 more mobile X-ray offices were formed, of which two stations were on rail and 6 were mounted on horse-drawn carts. Each rail X-ray station consisted of two rail cars (passenger and freight) and had full equipment for research, minor repairs and staff accommodation. However, the nature of the operation of the evacuation hospitals, aimed at the rapid departure of the wounded to the rear, as well as the lack of radiologists and poor rail connections near the theater of combat, did not allow the full utilization of the station's considerable potential. Therefore, the idea of creating a radiological station proved to be imperfect and ineffective.

However, despite the failure of the X-ray project, the work of the Kiev X-ray Commission gave a significant impetus to the development of medical radiology in Ukraine and the Russian Empire.