Frederick Henry Baetjer (1874-1933),US physician and X-ray pioneer,holding an X-ray device. Baetjer was Chief of the X-ray Department of Johns Hopkins Hospital,Baltimore,USA,for some 20 years. He travelled abroad from 1902 to study how X-rays were used in Europe. He became Professor of Roentgenology at Johns Hopkins in 1921. Baetjer suffered severely from radiation injuries caused by X-rays: dermatitis,loss of fingernails,keratotic patches,deformed nails,stiff joints,ulcers,severe pain,and eventual amputation of parts of the fingers and hands. Baetjer underwent over 100 operations related to his X-ray injuries (visible here). He eventually died from radiation-induced cancers. This photograph dates from the period 1921 to 1923 |