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Elizabeth Fleischman-Aschheim (
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Fleischman 5 March 1867 – 3 August 1905) was an American radiographer who is considered an X-ray pioneer. Fleischman was the first woman to die as a result of X-ray radiation exposure.


Early years

Elizabeth Fleischman was born in
El Dorado County, California El Dorado County (), officially the County of El Dorado, is a List of counties in California, county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Place ...
(possibly in Placerville), on March 5, 1867, the daughter of Jewish immigrants from
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. Her mother, Katherine Lezansky was born in
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
and had several family members who were physicians in what is now the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. Her father, Jacob Fleischman, was a baker. Elizabeth was one of five children. By 1876 the family had moved to
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
where Elizabeth's father, worked first as a baker and later became a merchant who sold various sundries and
cigars A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct components: the filler, the binder le ...
. Elizabeth Fleischman attended the Girls' High School and dropped out in her senior year in 1882 to help support her family. She then took courses in
bookkeeping Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business and other organizations. It involves preparing source documents for all transactions, operations, and other events of a business. Tr ...
and office management, and for a time she worked as a bookkeeper at Friedlander & Mitau, a San Francisco
underwear Undergarments, underclothing, or underwear are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer garments from being soiled o ...
manufacturer. Upon the death of her mother, Fleischman moved in with her sister Estelle, who was married to English physician and surgeon Michael Joseph Henry Woolf. Fleischman worked in the office of Woolf's medical practice as a bookkeeper, where he shared and supported her curiosity in the new medical technology of
X-rays An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nbs ...
.


X-Ray pioneer

In 1896, Fleischman read of
Wilhelm Röntgen Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (; ; 27 March 184510 February 1923) was a German mechanical engineer and physicist, who, on 8 November 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays or Röntgen rays, an achie ...
's breakthrough with x-rays in
Vienna, Austria en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
: "A new photographic discovery" which sparked her interest in
radiography Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeu ...
. In August 1896, she attended a public lecture by and presentation on X-ray apparatus by Albert Van der Naillen in San Francisco. Later that year, she enrolled in the Van der Naillen School of Engineering and took a course of study in electrical science, in part influenced by Van der Naillen's lecture and encouragement of her physician brother-in-law. Upon completion of the course of study, she borrowed funds from her father to purchase X-ray apparatus and a
fluoroscope Fluoroscopy () is an imaging technique that uses X-rays to obtain real-time moving images of the interior of an object. In its primary application of medical imaging Medical imaging is the technique and process of imaging the interior of a ...
. Fleischman quickly exhibited a keen interest and became proficient with the various apparatus that were necessary to produce the X-rays. By 1897, one year after the discovery of X-rays by Röntgen, she had established an X-ray laboratory on Sutter Street in San Francisco. There she examined patients on behalf of local physicians. This work required expertise in both anatomy and photography in order to produce clear images. In 1898, American newspapers reported the results of her work bombarding commercially traded foods with x-rays in order to detect the presence or absence of "adulteration" by impurities. She also began to take X-ray images of animals and common objects, such as the interior of a shoe. In December 1898, she began to provide services as a radiographer to the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
, who had been sending wounded soldiers from the
Spanish-American War Spanish Americans ( es, españoles estadounidenses, ''hispanoestadounidenses'', or ''hispanonorteamericanos'') are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from Spain. They are the longest-established European American group in th ...
's Pacific theater back to the United States through San Francisco. On August 20, 1899, she took one of her most famous radiographs, an image showing a
Mauser Mauser, originally Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik ("Royal Württemberg Rifle Factory"), was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols has been produced since the 1870s for the German arm ...
7 mm
bullet A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and co ...
lodged in the brain of John Gretzer Jr., in the region of the left
occipital lobe The occipital lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The name derives from its position at the back of the head, from the Latin ''ob'', "behind", and ''caput'', "head". The occipital lobe is the vi ...
.
Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Gretzer, of the 1st Nebraska Volunteers, wounded at Mariboa,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
on 27 March 1899 during the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
. The private later returned to duty as a mail clerk. Accounts of the case were reported in the 1902 edition of ''The International Text-Book of Surgery'' and in newspapers. Another case of a bullet lodged in a soldier's skull, X-rayed by Fleischman was also reported in newspapers in 1899. She received praise for her work during the Spanish-American War from the Surgeon General of the Army
George Miller Sternberg Brigadier General George Miller Sternberg (June 8, 1838 – November 3, 1915) was a U.S. Army physician who is considered the first U.S. bacteriologist, having written ''Manual of Bacteriology'' (1892). After he survived typhoid and yellow fever, ...
.Editor. (July 1900). The ''American X-ray Journal''. Vol. 6. No. 5. Several of her radiographs were also used by William C. Borden to illustrate his book on the medical use of X-rays in the Spanish-American War. In March 1900, Fleischman became an inaugural member of the Roentgen Society of the United States, which later became the American Roentgen Ray Society.Daniel Lewis, Editor. (25 March 1905). Another X-ray Casualty. Notes and Comments. ''Medical Review of Reviews''. Volume 11. Page 246. Austin Flint Association, Incorporated. She was one of the few members of the society who were not physicians. In that same year, the ''American X-ray Journal'' described the work and accomplishments:
"The high grade work of this lady radiographer deserves public commendation for her painstaking and tireless energy to promote x-ray science. The excellence of her work has been mentioned through the lay press but especially commented upon by medical and scientific journals. ... If Miss Fleischman is a fair criterion of what other women may do in radiography it will be well for us that the infection should spread."


Radiation effects and death

At the time Fleischman worked as a radiographer, not only were x-ray tubes unshielded, it was common for operators place their own hands in front of their fluoroscope to check exposures. In addition, Fleischman would often expose herself to X-rays to show patients that the procedure was painless. By 1903, the cumulative effects of seven years of unprotected X-ray exposures and twelve-hour workdays began to appear as X-ray dermatitis on her hands. She attributed this irritation to the chemicals used in developing photographic plates. In early 1904, the dermatitis progressed to the point where she sought medical attention. Her doctors found:
"The fingers of both hands were found to be badly ulcerated, chiefly the tissues over the middle phalanges and the middle joints....the surfaces presenting both an ulcerated and warty condition, the warts assuming the form of necrogenica-healing alternating with ulceration. All the secreting glands and hair-follicles were destroyed so that the skin was hard and dry and cracked easily. All forms of treatment by ointments and washes were without permanent benefit."
She continued to work despite this injury. In 1904, she was responsible for introducing protective measures for the operators of x-ray machines. She commented on the merits of double-plate glass screens, and metals such as lead, aluminium, iron and copper to "resist" x-rays. By late 1904, the dermatitis progressed to cancer. Her doctors attempted to excise a tumor on her right hand, but this failed to halt the progression of the
carcinoma Carcinoma is a malignancy that develops from epithelial cells. Specifically, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that arises from cells originating in the endodermal, mesoderm ...
. In January 1905 her entire right arm and scapula with the clavicle were amputated. The 4 March 1905 edition of the journal ''Electrical World and Engineer'' published the details regarding the amputation of Fleishman's right arm and her withdrawal from the field of radiography and stated:
"The leading medical and scientific men of the Coast are full of sympathy and regrets that Mrs. Aschheim has been forced to give up her eminent work as a radiographer in the midst of a brilliant career. It will be a serious loss to them to be deprived of her professional services in the most difficult cases for X-ray examination and radiography."
Four months later the cancer recurred and metastases were found in her
pulmonary pleurae The pulmonary pleurae (''sing.'' pleura) are the two opposing layers of serous membrane overlying the lungs and the inside of the surrounding chest walls. The inner pleura, called the visceral pleura, covers the surface of each lung and dips be ...
and lungs. Elizabeth Fleischman died on August 3, 1905 at 38 years old. The notice of her death published in the ''San Francisco Examiner'' and the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' which noted:
" intent was she in the performance of her work that she became careless of her own health. She acquired the reputation sthe most expert woman radiographer of the world, but she sacrificed her arm o radiation poisoningin the pursuit of that fame. The arm was amputated last January. She never fully recovered her health, though she endured all suffering with heroic fortitude. Death came as a relief..."
Her gravestone states simply: “I think I did some good in this world.” Fleischman was the second person and first woman to die as result of X-ray exposure. The previous year, Clarence Dally, an American glassblower and assistant to
Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventi ...
in his work on X-rays, died under similar circumstances to Fleischman.


Personal life

In 1900, at age 32, Fleischman married Israel Julius Aschheim.Editor. (5 September 1900). Marriages. ''The San Francisco Call''. San Francisco, California. Page 11. She hyphenated her last name to Fleischmann-Aschheim. Aschheim was born in
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...
and had immigrated to California by 1868. He was the grand secretary of the Independent Order of
B'nai B'rith B'nai B'rith International (, from he, בְּנֵי בְּרִית, translit=b'né brit, lit=Children of the Covenant) is a Jewish service organization. B'nai B'rith states that it is committed to the security and continuity of the Jewish peo ...
(District No. 4, Pacific Coast), a Jewish service organization, and served as the assistant secretary to the
California Board of Education The California State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the California Department of Education. The State Board of Education sets K-12 education policy in the areas of standards, instructional materials, assessment, and ...
.


Publications and citations

* Fleischman, Elizabeth. (1898). Description of Plates: Plate LV: American Frog. ''Archives of the Roentgen Ray''. 3(2): 62. * Borden, William Cline, & Sternberg, George Miller. (1900). ''The Use of the Röntgen Ray by the Medical Department of the United States Army in the War with Spain''. Washington, D.C. Government Printing Office. * Senn, Nicholas. (1900). The X-ray in Military Surgery. ''Philadelphia Medical Journal''. 5: 36–37.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fleischman, Elizabeth 1867 births 1905 deaths American amputees American people of Austrian-Jewish descent American people of the Spanish–American War Bookkeepers People from Placerville, California People from San Francisco People of the California Gold Rush Radiographers X-ray pioneers