The role of x-rays in the treatment of gas gangrene: a historical assessment

Abstract

While the use of x-rays to treat patients with gas gangrene ended in the early 1940's with the advent of antibiotics, x-ray had been widely accepted as a useful and highly effective treatment for this condition. The present paper re-assesses the historical foundations of this belief, the quality of the data, use of confirmatory animal models, and underlying mechanisms that might account for the therapeutic role of x-rays in the treatment of gas gangrene.

Keywords: dose-response; gas gangrene; history of medicine; hormesis; x-ray.

FIGURE 1

Mortality rate since x-ray therapy was introduced in 1928. Note: mortality associated with patients receiving surgery, serum, and one or more x-ray treatments unless indicated otherwise; (*) indicates mortality associated with patients receiving surgery, serum, and three or more x-ray treatments; and (**) indicates mortality associated with patients receiving three or more x-ray treatments with no surgery or serum treatments. [Data based on Calabrese and Baldwin 2000]