Physics & the Detection of Medical X-Rays
Röntgen's Discovery

Röntgen's accidentally discovered of the radiation which he called "x-rays" and is now called Röntgen rays in much of the world.  This discovery can offer students a good understanding of how scientific discoveries occur.  The Web has several sites which include excellent pictures including some images made by Röntgen.

Before X-rays and immediately after their discovery
The first chapter of a book, Naked to the bone: Medical Imaging in the Twentieth Century, this site contains a fascinating story of attempts by Alexander Graham Bell to find a bullet lodged in President James Garfield. Exploring Bell's attempt to "look" inside the President's body with electromagnetic induction would make a great physics lesson.  Then, the chapter describes Röntgen's discovery.

Die Entdeckung einer neuen Strahlung (The Discovery of New Radiation)
A very short discussion of Roentgen's early work

Röntgen-Museum
The source for the history of Röntgen and of x-rays from their discovery to modern times.  Even if you don't read German, you should look at the pictures.

Die Versuchsanordnung von Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
History of Röntgen's discovery with pictures of the original equipment.  For English see the next link

The experimental apparatus by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen

Wilhelm Conrad Röngten
A 61-page biography which is primarily in German but includes severla lengthy quotations in English.  PDF

Nobel presentation speech
This speech given on December 10, 1901 by C.T. Odhner, President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, describes why Röntgen was chosen for the first Nobel Prize in physics.

Biography prepared the Nobel Committee
This biography was prepared at the time Röntgen received the Nobel Prize.  It is short but very informative.

Another biography
This biography was prepared at DESY and is written so that school children will find it easy to read.

The Discovery Print
Some radiologists commissioned a painting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Röntgen's discovery.  It is a nice picture. Language should not be a barrier.

Röntgen Gallerie
A set of pictures including some of x-ray images taken in 1896. Language should not be a barrier.

Searches
Suchen Sie Google für Geschichte der Radiologie
Suchen Sie Yahoo für Röntgenstrahlung Entdeckung
Search Google for Roentgen x-ray discovery
Search Yahoo for Roentgen x-ray discovery

Flags indicate the language of the Web site.