Shoe-Fitting X-Ray Machine

Posted by Alex in Fashion, Gadget on March 6, 2008 at 6:23 pm


That’s an old shoe-fitting x-ray machine, which was a popular gimmick in shoe stores in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The machine went the way of the dodo bird when it was discovered that the hazards from x-ray radiation weren’t worth the proper fit of shoes:

The primary component of a shoe-fitting x-ray unit was the fluoroscope which consisted essentially of an x-ray tube mounted near the floor and wholly or partially enclosed in a shielded box and a fluorescent screen. The x-rays penetrated the shoes and feet and then struck the fluorescent light. This resulted in an image of the feet within the shoes. The fluorescent image was reflected to three viewing ports at the top of the cabinet, where the customer, the salesperson, and a third person (your mother?) could view the image at the same time.

The radiation hazards associated with shoe fitting x-ray units were recognized as early as 1950. The machines were often out of adjustment and were constructed so radiation leaked into the surrounding area.

This particular unit, however, was in operation in a shoe store in West Virginia as late as 1981: Link – Thanks choggie!


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COMMENT

10 comments to "Shoe-Fitting X-Ray Machine"

  1. cybele
    March 6th, 2008 at 8:29 pm

    I have a distinct recollection of using one of those at a Buster Brown store in the 70s.

    Do I have foot cancer now?

  2. Dave9
    March 6th, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    There was a law on the books for a long time in California making these illegal.

  3. Barbwire
    March 7th, 2008 at 12:07 am

    I loved those things as a child. I don't think I suffered any damage.

  4. salsa
    March 7th, 2008 at 2:23 am

    I had an engineering professor who described these as an example of how we reveal increasingly complex and potentially harmful phenomena as we apply materials science without discretion.

    Then he went on to explain how he used to run away from his mother when they went shopping-- he would sprint to the shoe store that had an X-Ray shoe fitter machine and stare into it for what seemed like hours, just flicking his toes around inside his shoes and giggling.

  5. ted
    March 7th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Discontinued along with the x-ray underwear and bathing suit fitters.

  6. Edward K. Hudson
    November 12th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    I've been researching these devices and actually they seem to have been in use from the 1920's through the late 1950's, although I found references that some were still in use as late as the early 1970's (especially in Britain and Canada)! The common "dose" would be 20 seconds or so although some machines could be set from 5 to 45 seconds with a timer; later, legislation made the limit 5 seconds. In the 40's, the American Standards Association established a “safe standard or tolerance dose,” that the feet receive no more than 2R per 5 second exposure. It seems that 60 percent of the tested machines were in the "safe range," although overall the range was found to be 7R to 14R per 20 second exposure. I haven't found any reports of injury to customers, but the doses were certainly higher than is considered safe now, and there were a couple of recorded operator injuries (burnt leg, dermatitis of the hand).

  7. P Slater
    January 21st, 2009 at 7:43 am

    In these days when much has been learned from Space, is it not possible to reintroduce these machines and incorporate some safety shield to protect users'? These machines would be a boon today when much footwear is produced globally. As is well known often a person who's shoe size is generally say size 5 can manage with a smaller size depending on the manufacturer.
    I would appreciate a direct comment, please via my e-mail.

  8. mike20
    January 23rd, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    i have one of these would anyone be intrested in buying it from me? mike2020@live.com

  9. Herb L.
    September 9th, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    I've got one for sale too!

    hlienau@gmail.com

  10. Nelda E
    October 11th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    They had these in the 40's when I was a child....I thought it was so exciting to see my toes! It was at the Red Goose Shoe Store in Ft Worth Texas....after buying shoes you could pull the neck of a big plastic red goose and it would lay an egg with a prize.....what a simple and fun life.


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