Cobalt Blues

Dr. Almond received his undergraduate honors degree in physics from Nottingham University and his training in medical physics from Bristol University. He moved to the United States in 1959 and earned his master's and doctoral degrees in nuclear physics from Rice University in Houston. From 1964 to 1985 he worked at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he served as the head of the Radiation Physics section and director of the Cyclotron Unit and Professor of Biophysics. He is now retired but teaches part-time and is writing the early history of the physics department at MDACC. http://www.uthouston.edu/gsbs/faculty/faculty-directory/faculty-profiles.htm?id=1346611

"Author Peter R. Almond, Ph. D., used Grimmett's journals, notes and scientific documents to paint an intimate portrait of the man's journey from England to Texas and the resolve Grimmett dedicated to the effort to see that his life's work and the widespread application of radiation therapy would become a reality. ... This is a good resource for those looking for a research reference and a nice retrospective for connoisseurs of medical history ... ." (Matt Ragghianti, ASRT Scanner, February-March, 2016)

• Foreword.- Prologue.- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1941-1946.- The Journey, January 29 to February 7, 1949.- Early Life and Education, London 1903-1929.- Medical Physicist Part I, London 1929-1944.- The Unknown Years and UNESCO Paris, 1944-1948.- Replacing Radium 1937-1949.- Arrival, Houston February 1949.- The Cobalt Unit 1949-1954.- Medical Physicist Part II, Houston 1949-1951.- Cobalt-60 and the Notebook.- Cobalt-60 in Perspective.- Epilogue: Grimmett the Man.- Appendix A: Principles of Radiotherapy.- Appendix B: Principles of Reactor Production of Cobalt-60.- Appendix C: Grimmett’s Suggested References on Cobalt-60.