Mobile X-Ray Van

[brucesw]

Does anybody remember the mobile X-ray van that was parked on one of the cross streets just west of Main downtown in the late 40s and 50s. It was probably a block or two north of Foley's. You could walk in off the street and get a chest x-ray.

They were probably screening for TB back then.

Any pics?

[TxFireguy]

Yes, I remember the vans vividly. They seemed to always be there near Foleys and seemed to never move. The were very large and very long panel vans. They always had some type of generator going. While I know that they were there to serve a very important purpose...I was very young back then, and honestly......the vans looked scarey to me.

[marmer]

I think vans like that used to come to Dow in the '60s so the workers could get chest X-rays. I think. I could be mis-remembering but I think it was something that happened once or twice a year.

marmer

[isuredid]

When I first started working in a restaurant at 14 you had to provide a "health card" to be able to work in that industry. I can't remember for certain if getting a chest xray was part of the health card requirements.

[57Tbird]

Speaking of X-rays... Does anyone remember the X-ray units in shoe stores? You could try on a new pair of shoes; stick your feet in a slot at the bottom; look into a viewer and see the outline of your feet inside the shoes. I remember those from when I was a kid in the early 40's. I wonder when they got rid of them? I guess somebody finally decided that too many X-rays were not healthy.

[TheNiche]

Speaking of X-rays... Does anyone remember the X-ray units in shoe stores? You could try on a new pair of shoes; stick your feet in a slot at the bottom; look into a viewer and see the outline of your feet inside the shoes. I remember those from when I was a kid in the early 40's. I wonder when they got rid of them? I guess somebody finally decided that too many X-rays were not healthy.

[brucesw]

Yes, I remember the vans vividly. They seemed to always be there near Foleys and seemed to never move. The were very large and very long panel vans. They always had some type of generator going. While I know that they were there to serve a very important purpose...I was very young back then, and honestly......the vans looked scarey to me.

They were scary! It reminded me of the Brazoria County Bookmobile but not nearly as inviting. The door on at least one end was always open and you could regularly spot a white uniformed nurse; I guess there had to be an x-ray technician on board at all times, too.

It was wierd even then to think of just popping in off the sidewalk for an x-ray on your lunch break.

Re: the foot x-ray machine - oh my gosh. I remember them but I don't think we ever used them more than once. Just deciding whether shoes fit by standing in them and walking around a bit always worked well enough for me.

[Vertigo58]

Speaking of X-rays... Does anyone remember the X-ray units in shoe stores? You could try on a new pair of shoes; stick your feet in a slot at the bottom; look into a viewer and see the outline of your feet inside the shoes. I remember those from when I was a kid in the early 40's. I wonder when they got rid of them? I guess somebody finally decided that too many X-rays were not healthy.

Bizarre, and the photo proved they existed! I thought you guys were kidding. No wonder everyone's feet don't glow in the dark! Look like something out of a 50's sci-fi B movie!

[sak]

Speaking of X-rays... Does anyone remember the X-ray units in shoe stores? You could try on a new pair of shoes; stick your feet in a slot at the bottom; look into a viewer and see the outline of your feet inside the shoes. I remember those from when I was a kid in the early 40's. I wonder when they got rid of them? I guess somebody finally decided that too many X-rays were not healthy.

I remember these from the mid 1950s so they must have been around for quite awhile before someone realized the danger.