A hunÂdred years ago, Mobile X‑Ray Units were a brand new innoÂvaÂtion, and a godÂsend for solÂdiers woundÂed on the front in WW1. PriÂor to the advent of this techÂnolÂoÂgy, field surÂgeons racÂing to save lives operÂatÂed blindÂly, often causÂing even more injury as they groped for bulÂlets and shrapÂnel whose preÂcise locaÂtions remained a mysÂtery.
Marie Curie was just setÂting up shop at Paris’ RadiÂum InstiÂtute, a world cenÂter for the study of radioacÂtivÂiÂty, when war broke out. Many of her researchers left to fight, while Curie perÂsonÂalÂly delivÂered France’s sole samÂple of radiÂum by train to the temÂporarÂiÂly reloÂcatÂed seat of govÂernÂment in BorÂdeaux.
“I am resolved to put all my strength at the serÂvice of my adoptÂed counÂtry, since I canÂnot do anyÂthing for my unforÂtuÂnate native counÂtry just now…,” Curie, a Pole by birth, wrote to her lover, physiÂcist Paul Langevin on New Year’s Day, 1915.
To that end, she enviÂsioned a fleet of vehiÂcles that could bring X‑ray equipÂment much closÂer to the batÂtleÂfield, shiftÂing their coorÂdiÂnates as necÂesÂsary.
Rather than leavÂing the exeÂcuÂtion of this brilÂliant plan to othÂers, Curie sprang into action.
She studÂied anatoÂmy and learned how to operÂate the equipÂment so she would be able to read X‑ray films like a medÂical proÂfesÂsionÂal.
She learned how to driÂve and fix cars.
She used her conÂnecÂtions to solicÂit donaÂtions of vehiÂcles, portable elecÂtric genÂerÂaÂtors, and the necÂesÂsary equipÂment, kickÂing in genÂerÂousÂly herÂself. (When she got the French NationÂal Bank to accept her gold Nobel Prize medals on behalf of the war effort, she spent the bulk of her prize purse on war bonds.)
She was hamÂpered only by backÂwards-thinkÂing bureauÂcrats whose feathÂers rufÂfled at the prospect of female techÂniÂcians and driÂvers, no doubt forÂgetÂting that most of France’s able-bodÂied men were othÂerÂwise engaged.
Curie, no stranger to sexÂism, refused to bend to their will, delivÂerÂing equipÂment to the front line and X‑raying woundÂed solÂdiers, assistÂed by her 17-year-old daughÂter, Irène, who like her mothÂer, took care to keep her emoÂtions in check while workÂing with maimed and disÂtressed patients.
“In less than two years,” writes AmanÂda Davis at The InstiÂtute, “the numÂber of units had grown subÂstanÂtialÂly, and the Curies had set up a trainÂing proÂgram at the RadiÂum InstiÂtute to teach othÂer women to operÂate the equipÂment.” EvenÂtuÂalÂly, they recruitÂed about 150 women, trainÂing them to man the LitÂtle Curies, as the mobile radiÂogÂraÂphy units came to be known.
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared on our site in 2017.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Marie Curie’s Research Papers Are Still RadioacÂtive a CenÂtuÂry LatÂer
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, illusÂtraÂtor, theÂater makÂer and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine.