The thought that the manufacture of these machines may have displayed similar hubris and dismissiveness is frightening.

A risk, no matter how unlikely or small, is never worth taking if there is no payoff.

I really hope you aren't being sarcastic, as that would be funnier. Here's how to make an x-ray machine strong enough to work with standard film that you can plug in the wall and uses old tv parts. Be careful in doing this as dosimeters apparently are required. http://www.belljar.net/xray.htm