Alan Hart
Born: October 4, 1890
Died: July 1, 1962
Married: Inez Stark (divorced 1925), Edna Ruddick
Dr. Alan L. Hart, born Alberta Lucille Hart, was an American physician, radiologist, tuberculosis researcher, writer, and novelist. He studied at the six-week Trudeau School of Tuberculosis in 1925. He is said to have pioneered developed an x-ray process tool for early diagnosis of tuberculosis, though Homer Sampson was using radiography at the [Sanatorium] to detect TB as early as 1912.
He wrote a book, These mysterious rays, a non-technical discussion of the uses of X-rays and radium, chiefly in medicine published in 1943. He also wrote four novels.
New York Times, May 16, 1943
Roentgen's Magic Rays
THESE MYSTERIOUS RAYS: A Nontechnical Discussion of the Uses of X-rays and Radium, Chiefly in Medicine. By Alan L. Hart, M. D., M. Sc. (Med..1 Illustrated. 218 pp. New York: Harper d Brothers. $2.75. IN the fifty years that have elapsed since the discovery of X-rays by the German physicist Roentgen great progress has been made in their applicaion, not only in medicine, but in industry and the arts. Dr. Hart gives the layman an insight into what is being accomplished today by roentgenologists, chiefly in the medical field. His story has a scientific dignity combined with a flowing style and occa-sional dramatic approach.
"The roentgenologist cannot be a narrow specialist," says Dr. Hart. "In the morning he ex-amines a kidney, and a gall bladder. in the afternoon a mastoid and a fractured ankle, tomorrow a chest and a broken head, and the next day a stomach and an injured spine."
Beyond the first general survey of the kind of work done with X-rays, there are special chapters dealing with the study of lungs, the digestive system and cancer, the examination of the head, including the teeth and eyes, and the functions of the roentgenologist in the maternity ward. A medico-legal incident is related I in which an X-ray examination determined the inheritance of a large fortune.
Something about radium is also told "for those who are not gun-shy of all technicalities," and this is followed by chapters on using X-rays and radium safely and the characteristics of sunshine and ultra-violet rays. Along with his professional conservatism the author has managed to maintain a strong reader interest.
See also:
- Alchetron: [L Hart]
- Wikipedia: [L. Hart]
- Oregon Encyclopedia: [Hart (1890-1962)]
- Connecticut History: [L. Hart: Pioneer in Medicine and Transgender History]