909.037

Box of ampoules of Dr. Szendeffy Dioradin Radioactive Composition, 5 out of ampoules

Inscription

Dioradin/ RADIO-ACTIVE COMPOSITION./ PREPARATION No3./ FOR THE TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS/ GENERAL AGENCY FOR GREAT BRITAIN & THE COLONIES:/ 133, OXFORD STREET, LONDON. W.

Production organisations

DR SZENDEFFY

Labels

The treatment of tuberculosis by radioactive menthol iodine was introduced in the early 20th century by Dr Szendeffy and Dr Kertez-Aba. It was advised that only patients of the first and second degree should receive this medicine, but exceptions could be made if a third-degree patient was in excellent condition.

Radiation techniques were commonly used to combat infections until the aftermath of WW2, when the rise of antibiotics saw previous methods fall out of fashion. By 1956, the radioactive drug was abandoned entirely for tuberculosis treatment due to a rising number of patients developing bone tumours post-radiation.