Pedoscope
Pedoscopes, or shoe-fitting fluoroscopes, were X-ray machines installed in shoe stores in the early 20th century. In the United Kingdom, they were known as pedoscopes, after the company which manufactured them. The pedoscope allowed the best possible fit which made for longer lasting shoes (which meant you did not have to buy as many pairs for yourself, or your children). The shoe-fitting device was nothing more than a fancy way to attract potential customers, as one could get the same fit by a simple measurement.
In 1949, the danger of the pedoscope was revealed: the level of exposure from typical machines ranged from 20 to 75 rems (or 200 to 750 mSv) per minute (the current maximum allowed occupational exposure to workers in nuclear power stations in the United States is 5 rems per year). The machines were quietly phased out during the 1950s.
