Gamma Radiation

Shortly after the discovery of x-rays, another

form of penetrating rays was discovered. In
1896, French scientist Henri Becquerel
discovered natural radioactivity. Many
scientists of the period were working with
cathode rays, and other scientists were
gathering evidence on the theory that the atom
could be subdivided. Some of the new
research showed that certain types of atoms
disintegrate by themselves. Henri Becquerel
discovered this phenomenon while
investigating the properties of fluorescent
minerals. One of the minerals Becquerel
worked with was a uranium compound.
Uranium ore produces naturally occurring
gamma radiation. Becquerel's discovery was,
unlike that of the x-rays, virtually unnoticed by laymen and scientists alike.
Only a few scientists were interested in Becquerel's findings. It was not until
the discovery of radium by the Curies two years later that interest in
radioactivity became widespread.

While working in France at the time of Becquerel's discovery, Polish

scientist Marie Curie became very interested in his work. Marie and her
husband, French scientist Pierre Curie studied radioactive materials,
particularly pitchblende, the ore from which uranium was extracted. They
noticed that pitchblende was strangely more radioactive than the uranium
extracted from it. They deduced that the pitchblende must contain traces of
an unknown radioactive substance far more radioactive than uranium.

Through several years of work, they progressively concentrated the

radioactive substances of several tons of pitchblende ore. Their work
resulted in the identification of two new chemical elements. The first
element, they named "polonium," after Marie's native country, Poland. The
other element they named "radium," for its intense radioactivity. Radium
became the initial industrial gamma ray source. The material allowed
radiographs of castings up to 10 to 12 inches thick to be produced.
The couple became well known for their work, but they also became victims
of radiation poisoning. When early scientists were working with naturally
occurring radioactive materials, the effects of radiation on the human body
were little understood, or were ignored in the haste to learn more about this
new substance. By 1929, industrial radiation sources were becoming
available for radiographing extremely thick materials. Exposure times were
long, and often radiographers were exposed to excessive doses of
radiation.

During World War II and the race to produce a nuclear weapon, much was
discovered about radioactive materials, and manmade isotopes became
available. These sources were smaller, and considerably stronger than the
naturally occurring radioactive material. Manmade sources were developed
to penetrate even thicker materials, however, they also cause more
damage to persons exposed to the radiation. Many deaths and
amputations occurred in this era of early experimentation and use of
isotopes.