# x-ray machines in shoe stores

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 25, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759 "2001-07-25T17:46:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759/1 "2001-07-25T17:46:24Z")

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When I was a child, I remember there were machines that you could walk up to, put your feet in, and then look down and see an x-ray or fluoroscope of your bones in your shoe.  
The idea was to see how good the fit was.

A few questions, When were these machines made illegal and removed from the stores.

When were they first used.

HOw strong were the x-rays, and was there any shielding at all?

Was there any evidence that these machnes caused cancer?

I remember that you could use them indefinitely.

Thanks for your information.

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**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759/2 "2001-07-25T18:05:09Z")

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Why not ask [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_414a.html)?

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**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759/3 "2001-07-25T18:09:44Z")

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[Moderator Hat ON]

This is a slew of factual questions, not a debate, so I’m moving it to General Questions.

[Moderator Hat OFF]

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**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759/4 "2001-07-25T18:22:00Z")

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Oops, didn’t see Cecil had already gotten it, manny.

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**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-ray-machines-in-shoe-stores/73759/5 "2001-07-27T11:07:37Z")

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The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has one in its musuem.