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The Past An x-ray apparatus obtained from Germany by the Johannesburg branch The origins of Siemens and Halske towards the end of 1898, was used by one of their young and early use electrical engineers, Robert Howe Gould, who took a particular interest in the new apparatus, experimented of radiology in with it, and became a competent radi- ographer.' A demonstration of his ma- chine at a Red Cross gathering in South Africa Krugersdorp from 18-23 November 1899 led to the apparatus being put to use there for a few months. After the Radiography in South Africa Anglo-Boer war it was sent to before 1899 Jagersfontein mine which had originally bought it in 1898~ The Ruehmkorff induction coil, which belonged to this apparatus, is now in the Adler Museum in Johannesburg. ] JC de Villiers In South Africa as elsewhere, physi- Radiology in war Emeritus Professor of Neurosurgery, cists and photographers initially University of Cape Town surgery showed the greatest interest in the "new rays" which Roentgen an- X-rays first found practical appli- nounced at a scientific meeting in cation on a large scale in South Africa January 1896. In July of that year, the during the Anglo Boer War, but it was Port Elizabeth Amateur Photographic not a "first". The first military use of Society obtained a complete appara- x-rays was in Naples in May 1896, tus for "taking photographs by means when wounded Italian soldiers, return- of the new process" from London and ing from the disastrous Ethiopian cam- on Thursday, 13August 1896, the Port paign, were examined by this method Elizabeth Amateur Photographic So- - four months after Roentgen's publi- ciety invited a representative of the cation.' The Graeco-Turkish War in Port Elizabeth Telegraph to attend a 1897 was the first major conflict where demonstration of their apparatus. The x-rays were used and the findings pub- 4 journalist reported glowingly on the lished from both sides. ,s The British new wonder' and the president of the Military Medical Service had further Society, Mr.A. Walsh, offered to dem- experience in India (1897) and the onstrate the apparatus to doctors to River War (1898).6 It was also used to acquaint them with its possible uses. a very limited extent in the 7 This was probably the first x-ray dem- Spanish-American War in 1898. onstration in South Africa.' In Octo- Radiology in the ber of the same year, the Cape Town Anglo Boe-r War Photographic Society arranged a lec- ture/demonstration by Professor Holm At the outbreak of the Anglo Boer on the mode of production of Roent- War, the two Boer Republics were gen rays,and an x-ray picture of a hand medically very poorly prepared for was taken by way of demonstration. what was awaiting them but the to page 13 12 SA JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY. January 2000 The Past - Radiography in South Africa before 1899 (rampage 12 Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR), provided it was handled with pa- hospital in Johannesburg. In July 1900 due to its greater wealth, was some- tiencel The radiographers were Mr with the British occupation of what better supplied with equipment Wierbitsky. a local photographer, and Krugersdorp, Fessler took his instru- than the Orange Free State. The Brit- Mr CF. Delfos, who during the war ments and x-ray apparatus to the ish Military authorities had also un- had become a small arms and bomb German Consul in Johannesburg but derestimated the magnitude of the manufacturer and later also became what happened to this equipment is campaign awaiting them and experi- interested in x-ray apparatus." not known.!" enced great organizational difficulties, Apparatus at Boshoff The First German Red in their medical as well as in their Cross Ambulance, military arrangements. Radiology was On 13 October 1899, a Spargo Jacobsdal in its infancy and its exact place in x-ray tube and screen were ordered military surgery was not known. for the base hospital at Boshoffby Dr Dr H. Kuettner, chief surgeon of Ramsbottom, head of the Orange Free this ambulance, was an experienced Radiological State Red Cross Ambulance. A week radiographer as he had written his services on the later he requested the Landdrost to doctoral thesis on the subject of radi- Boer side make the local school available as a ology in war surgery, based on his ex- hospital as a safe place for the x-ray The Siemens and Halske perience in the Graeco-Turkish War apparatus was required." 4 apparatus of 1897. This German unit was sent German/Belgian to Jacobsdal - a seven-day journey This apparatus used by Gould for Ambulances' Apparatus from the nearest railway station and his demonstration in Krugersdorp, was in Krugersdorp three times as far as the nearest sourc later used in the hospital in Varleys of electricity' Fortunately the ambu- Hotel in that town. In April 1900, just In April 1900, when the Boer re- lance had been joined in Pretoria by a before the British occupation of Jo- treat had already commenced, Dr J. trained electro-technician, Isaac hannesburg, the x-ray machine was Fessler of the German/Belgian ambu- Rousseau van Alphen, son of the Post- transferred to the French Hospital in lance on returning from Natal, was master General of the ZAR. Van the Marist Brother's School in that asked to go to Krugersdorp with the Alphen travelled to Johannesburg city. After the war it was sold to the x-ray apparatus, which he had where he requisitioned a four horse Jagersfontein diamond mine and its brought from Muenchen. Since De- power petrol engine at one mine and Ruehmkorf coil can be seen in the cember 1899 this machine as well as a dynamo at another, "acquired" a Adler museum of medical history in some other equipment belonging to quantity of petroleum and a number Johannesburg.' the German/Belgian ambulance, had of light bulbs which he carted back been standing idle in the warehouses Apparatus in the to Jacobsdal via Bloemfontein. "Pres- of the Red Cross in Pretoria. The Staatsmeisjesschool ently the x-ray apparatus was in- x-ray apparatus was installed in the stalled, accumulators were loaded and The management committee of Boer hospital in Varley's Hotel, which the African interior saw for the first Het Transvaalsche Roode Kruis was supplied with electricity by a dy- time rays of that great physicist," bought an x-ray apparatus for the Pre- namo driven by a steam engine. Fessler Kuettner said with German pride - toria Volkshospitaal in 1897 and this mentions an engineer of Siemens and but incorrectly. II was transferred to the Staats- Halske in Johannesburg who con- meisjesschool when it became the nected the x-ray apparatus to the The Second German Red base hospital of the First Dutch Red mains supply, which eliminated the Cross Ambulance, Cross Ambulance in December 1899. use of accumulators. (This engineer Springfontein Professor J. A. Korteweg of this unit was probably Gould.) When Fessler's The x-ray apparatus supplied to reported in 1899 that despite the ap- apparatus was installed in Varley's this ambulance by the German Cen- paratus being rather old, it was still Hotel, the Siemens and Halske ap- tral Red Cross Committee, was prob- capable of rendering good service paratus was removed to the French ably identical to the one used by the to page 14 13 SA JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY. January 2000 The Past _.Rad iography in South Africa before 1899 frampage 13 First German Red Cross ambulance working with him at his hospital. to supply this service did not always in Jacobsdal and was under the care Proof that the x-ray apparatus was in materialize was pointed out by the of Dr Ringel, who had also seen serv- use, is provided by Dr Mangold's tel- pioneer British radiologist, Dr John ice in the Graeco- Turkish war. That egram of January 30, to the Red Cross Hall Edwards who was attached to the x-rays were extensively used is indi- in Pretoria, ordering chemicals for Imperial Yeomanry Hospital at cated in publications by members of developing and fixing the x-ray Deelfontein. Of ten x-ray machines this ambulance unit." plates." initially provided by the War Office, The First Dutch Red Cross Unused x-ray apparatus on only four had reached South Africa Ambulance the Boer side by November 1899. Two of these were located so far from the battle- A new x-ray apparatus for this Prolonged negotiations between field that they were of little use, while ambulance arrived in Lourenco Dr W. Leyds, Minister plenipotenti- the remaining six were apparently in Marques as Prof Korteweg, surgeon to ary of the ZAR and the firm of transit or about to be dispatched from this unit, returned home on 20 Janu- Siemen's and Halske with Mr Barth England." ary 1900. Itwas intended for the base Veth as intermediary, resulted in three Standard x-ray equipment hospital of the First Dutch Red Cross Roentgen ray machines being shipped ambulance in the Staatsmeisjesschool, to Lourenco Marques for the Boers. supplied to General Hospitals whose rather antiquated machine This was during the guerilla phase of This comprised lO-inch fieldserv- would then be sent to their forward the war and there is no evidence as to ice coils manufactured by Apps & Co. station at Pepworth's farm. This never who was to receive them or work them or Cox & Co, fitted with ordinary materialized as all the accumulators for the Boers.These machines never left spring-hammer interrupters; 6-cell were broken during off-loading in Lourenco Marques and were returned lithanode accumulators of 30 Lourenco Marques and as a result the to Germany after the war." ampere-hours capacity, fluorescent ambulance unit at Pepworth's Farm Radiological screen; Cox's "Record Tubes"; a was stranded without an x-ray Mackenzie-Davidson's couch, port- machine." services on the British side able cross-thread localizer and the Dr EA.

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