The document discusses the history and basics of radiotherapy and radiation protection. It describes some key events and discoveries, including Wilhelm Röntgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895, the discovery of radioactivity in the late 1890s, and the early uses of radiation to treat cancers in the late 1890s. It also notes that accurate measurement of absorbed radiation dose is important for treatment success and that dosimetric systems must be properly calibrated and traceable to national and international standards.