NIKOLA TESLA AND MEDICINE: 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF THE GENIUS WHO GAVE LIGHT TO THE WORLD - PART I

The interest in Nikola Tesla, a scientist, physicist, engineer and inventor, is constantly growing. In the millennialong history of human civilization, it is almost impossible to find another person whose life and work has been under so much scrutiny of such a wide range of researchers, medical professionals included. Although Tesla was not primarily dedicated to biomedical research, his work significantly contributed to the development of radiology, and high frequency electrotherapy. This paper deals with the impact of Tesla's work on the development of a new medical branch - radiology. Nikola Tesla and the Discovery of X-ray radiation. Tesla pioneered the use of X-rays for medical purposes, practically laying the foundations of radiology. Namely, since 1887, Tesla periodically experimented with X-rays, at that time still unknown and unnamed, which he called "shadowgraphs". Moreover, at the end of 1894, lie conducted extensive research focusing on X-rays, but unfortunately it was inlerrupted after the fire burning down his laboratory in 1895. In 1896 and 1897, Tesla published ten papers on the biologic effects of X-ray radiation. All his studies on X-rays were experimental. During 1896 and 1897, Tesla continued improving X-ray devices. Apart from this, Tesla was the first to point out the harmful effects of exposure to X-ray radiation on human body.

Nikola Tesla was a visionary genius of the future. Tesla's pioneer steps, made more than a century ago in the domain of radiology, are still being used today.