De wetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen in de radiologie en radiotherapie binnen de geneeskunde in Nederland 1896-1922

The discovery of X-rays in 1895 did not simply add a new tool to the medical arsenal. Ultimately it had that effect, but not until the professional community had re-evaluated traditional procedures, according to Thomas Kuhn. This historical research focuses on that process which takes place at a time when scientific research was not yet fully integrated into the academic world or hospitals. An impression of the re-evaluation by the scientists and medical disciplines involved is obtained through discipline-specific scientific literature of that time and the scientific discourse. Only in 1899, academic interest was raised for the use of X-rays in medicine and around 1910 a turning point took place in clinical application. This thesis extensively delves into the important factors in this process. This has yielded new insights, and puts the spotlight on several scientists, whose contributions were not previously recognized as such.
It turns out that even before the start of the First World War diagnostic radiology was at the same level as in 1919. That war slowed down the development of radiology in the Netherlands, rather than having a stimulating effect, although the latter is often claimed in previous publications. The only stimulating effect that could be seen was mainly due to developments in America. That country got the hegemony over the field of radiology. Radiotherapy developed more slowly, and reached its maturity only in the subsequent decades, despite the establishment of various radiation institutes in the second decade.