ID: TXA00760

TitleErnest Henry Harnack - X-ray pioneer
AbstractErnest Harnack was an early pioneer in the use of X-rays - and because the dangers were not understood, he eventually had to have both hands amputated. He was born in the East End of London but spent his later years on Mersea Island.

Ernest Henry Harnack was born in 1868, son of Ernest Henry Harnack and Mary Ann Harnack née Walter. He was born at 73 Alma Street, Hoxton Old Town (Shoreditch area). - his father Ernest was a Warfinger's Clerk. He had a sister Maud born c1871 and brothers Fred (c1875) and Alfred (c1876). The 1881 Census records Ernest as "Lithographic Printer Office Boy", 1891 as a "Hospital Clerk", and 1901 "X Ray Specialist Operator". By 1911 he is listed as "Pensioner London Hospital X Ray operator".

In 1896 Ernest Harnack became Britain's first radiographer at the London Hospital in Whitechapel. This was only one year after X-Rays were discovered by Roentgen. He was working as a Clerk at the hospital, but he was very interested in photography and electricity, and he quickly became interested in radiography. Ernest Henry built his own portable X ray equipment.

Ernest Harnack with the mobile X-ray equipment. The accumulators to power it are underneath - they could not be charged at the hospital, which had no electricity at the time

Ernest used to take his portable machine home at the weekend for X-ray parties. The highlight, apparently, was to X-ray the ladies so that their whalebone corsets became visible. At that time nobody knew the dangers of X-rays and Ernest Henry used to test his machine every morning by X-raying his own hands. Eventually they both had to be amputated and one of them is preserved in a glass jar in the hospital's museum (now the Royal London).

In 1909 Ernest had to retire from practical work, but he continued to teach Radiography to others. 1922 Ernest, Fanny and family moved to West Mersea. With help from the London Hospital, they bought Lilac Cottage at the top end of High Street North, which they renamed Greenwood. It was to be the family home for many years.

Ernest Harnack 1924

Retirement at Mersea - Gus Harnack on left and Ernest Harnack on right, sailing on the River Blackwater c1930

Ernest's wife Fanny died in 1936. At this time his son Fid and daughter Nellie Maud with her family were living at Greenwood. Ernest was knocked down by a car about 1940 and spent some time in hospital. He died in 1942.

Ernest is commemorated by a plaque at the Royal London, unveilled in 1944, and also on a monument to X-ray martyrs in Hamburg, Germany.

The basis of this article was a set of notes from Graham Maslin who is related to Ernest. Photographs and additional information from papers that are now in Mersea Museum archives.

Read More
"Who was Ernest Harnack?" Journal of British Society for History of Radiology 2011
Fid Harnack RSMA - Marine Artist

Published3 July 2010
SourceMersea Museum / Letter to Richard Amery 3 July 2010
IDTXA00760
Related Images:
 A Martyr of Science now convalescent after latest operation.
 Mr Ernest H. Harnack of the London Hospital
</p><p>Scattered about England are the few survivors of the X-ray pioneers. They are the men who risked maiming and death in the days when no safeguards had been found to ward off the dangers of the naked.rays. Although the means of relieving the suffering of countless patients they have paid for it with agony. Twelve of the pioneers have died since those early days and others have suffered amputations. But they are the last X-ray martyrs; methods of protection are now perfect.
</p><p>
2. Mr Ernest Harnack, having had both hands amputated as a result of many operations, is seen with Mr Suggars, his successor in the X-ray department at the London Hospital.
</p><p>
The photograph was used on the front page of the Daily Mirror 2 May 1933 in an article referring to Mr Suggars having further operations. <a href=mmphoto.php?typ=ID&hit=1&tot=1&ba=cke&rhit=1&bid=FID_010_107 ID=1>FID_010_107 </a>
</p><p>
From Ernest Henry Harnack Papers  FID_010_015
ImageID:   FID_010_015
Title: A Martyr of Science now convalescent after latest operation.
Mr Ernest H. Harnack of the London Hospital

Scattered about England are the few survivors of the X-ray pioneers. They are the men who risked maiming and death in the days when no safeguards had been found to ward off the dangers of the naked.rays. Although the means of relieving the suffering of countless patients they have paid for it with agony. Twelve of the pioneers have died since those early days and others have suffered amputations. But they are the last X-ray martyrs; methods of protection are now perfect.

2. Mr Ernest Harnack, having had both hands amputated as a result of many operations, is seen with Mr Suggars, his successor in the X-ray department at the London Hospital.

The photograph was used on the front page of the Daily Mirror 2 May 1933 in an article referring to Mr Suggars having further operations. FID_010_107

From Ernest Henry Harnack Papers

Source:Mersea Museum / Fid Harnack Collection
 A Gallant Pioneer of Radiography at the London Hospital - Mr Ernest Harnack.
 He is with the mobile X-ray equipment at the London Hospital in Whitechapel. The euipment is powered by accumulators underneath, but they could not be charged at the hospital which had no electricity at the time.
</p><p>
Photograph appears in London Hospital Illustrated, 1933, Page 2. which has an article titled Heroic Band of Martyrs  FID_010_021
ImageID:   FID_010_021
Title: A Gallant Pioneer of Radiography at the London Hospital - Mr Ernest Harnack.
He is with the mobile X-ray equipment at the London Hospital in Whitechapel. The euipment is powered by accumulators underneath, but they could not be charged at the hospital which had no electricity at the time.

Photograph appears in London Hospital Illustrated, 1933, Page 2. which has an article titled "Heroic Band of Martyrs"

Date:c1900
Source:Mersea Museum / Fid Harnack Collection
 Greenwood, High Street North, West Mersea.
 The back of the photograph is marked Greenwood Cottage, but only Greenwood is carved on the gate. Photograph before 1936 when a large annexe was added on the right hand end of the cottage.
 The cottage was formerly known as Lilac Cottage but was renamed by the Harnack family c1925  FID_026_001
ImageID:   FID_026_001
Title: Greenwood, High Street North, West Mersea.
The back of the photograph is marked Greenwood Cottage, but only Greenwood is carved on the gate. Photograph before 1936 when a large annexe was added on the right hand end of the cottage.
The cottage was formerly known as Lilac Cottage but was renamed by the Harnack family c1925
Source:Mersea Museum / Des Carter
 Gus Harnack left and Dr Ernest Harnack right. Ernest Harnack was the X-ray pioneer.
 Sailing in the Blackwater, with laid up ships in the background, probably in the 1920s.
 Photograph from Des Carter  RG25_415
ImageID:   RG25_415
Title: Gus Harnack left and Dr Ernest Harnack right. Ernest Harnack was the X-ray pioneer.
Sailing in the Blackwater, with laid up ships in the background, probably in the 1920s.
Photograph from Des Carter
Date:c1930
Source:Ron Green Collection