Development of physics applied to medicine in the UK, 1945-1990
The Wellcome Trust Centre held a Witness Seminar for the History of Medicine at UCL in London on the 5th July 2005 and DA Christie and EM Tansey edited the transcript. The seminar was organized with the assistance of Professor John Clifton and was chaired by Professor Peter Williams and examined the early developments of medical physics in the UK between 1945 and 1990 to which members of the BIR contributed so much and the contributions are recorded in the pages of the British Journal of Radiology. Participants included many BIR members and BJR contributors including Mr Tom Ashton, Dr Barry Barber, Professors Roland Blackwell and Terence Burlin, Dr Joseph Blau, Mr Bob (John) Burns, Professors John Clifton, David Delpy, Philip Dendy and Jack Fowler, Dr Jean Guy, Mr John Haggith, Drs John Haybittle, Alan Jennings and John Law, Professors John Mallard and Joe McKie, Mr David Murnaghan, Professor Angela Newing, Dr Sydney Osborn, Professor Rodney Smallwood, Dr Adrian Thomas, Dr Peter Tothill, Mr Theodore Tulley, Professors Peter Wells and John West, and Mr John Wilkinson.
The publication of the seminar is an excellent account of the period and can be downloaded from the website of the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL.
Computers
In February 1990 (Sutherland BJR 1990; 63(746): 89-96) GR Sutherland usefully reviewed the use of computers in radiology departments. Computer technology was developing very fast and by August 1995 P Taylor was reviewing computer aids for decision-making in diagnostic radiology (Taylor BJR 1995: 68(813): 945-957).
Image source: aylor BJR 1995: 68(813): 945-957
