INFORMATIONELECTRIC FIELD EXPOSURE - HUMAN HEALTH
Compelling Reasons To Consider The Electric Field Exposure as well as Magnetic Field Exposure In Relation to Human Health.
Electric
fields, in addition to magnetic
fields are known to exert influence on biological
systems causing actual interference
to the normal
functions of the organism.
From
early days the focus
has been on the magnetic field as the principle
There are however some
scientists who see the bigger picture and believe the electric field has a
significant role to play in the health affairs of MAN. In
our view this is clearly demonstrated by the procedure used in the
‘DOLLY the SHEEP’ experiment where the
cell replication for the new
entity was activated
with single direct current
(DC) pulses of electricity.
(See NATURE (19967) v380 pp64-66 )
The presenter of the television
programme detailing the Dolly
experiment commented
ELECTRICITY
IN OUR ENVIRONMENT
The author, as a layperson,
has experienced and carefully observed the effects that
the electric field in
the absence of the magnetic field
can exact on people who would not be otherwise considered ‘electrically
hyper sensitive.’ The effect on
the individual was observed to be
almost immediate and quite profound.
Professor Olle Johansson of the
Karolinska Institute, Sweden, has
found that the skin cells of healthy people
as well as those with ElectroHyperSensitivity (EHS)
responded similarly to exposure to the field emissions from computer and
TV screens
CASE
#1
Three people of different ages and states of health were unable to remain alert and awake, at 11 am, 12.30 am and 8 pm while sitting beside a timber lamp stand with the power switched ON at the power point but OFF at the lamp stand. Live electrical current was in the lamp stem but with no current flow at the time – there magnetic field was not present. . Each person was unaware that they were exposed to an electric field and each later described a feeling of overpowering tiredness that was almost painful. In each case when the lamp was moved or switched OFF at the powerpoint, the person revived to former level of alertness within a matter of minutes.
CASE # 2
An educational video
screening was held in a
small office, two professional
people of the 15 present
having previously expressed great
interest in the subject
matter, one taking copious notes
during the screening. After
approximately 30 minutes these two people , a man (50 + years ) and woman
(40 + years ) were observed to slump in their seats with
eyes closed while the remainder of the audience
maintained alert and interested
It was observed
by the author and one witness that the two affected people
were seated where a computer terminal
was located about
30 centimeters from the back of their heads. Covert investigation
revealed that the PC was
switched OFF at the hard drive but
ON at the power point and it was
speculated that this
could be the electric field affecting the two people now seen to be
quietly dozing. The
PC was then switched OFF at the power point and within ten minutes the
woman was seen to revive and
resume note-taking, the
man took eighteen minutes to
recover his former level of alertness.
CASE #3
Two children ages 4 and 6 years, sleeping
beside a wall where there were
Electricity cables were located suffered nightmares
until their beds were moved.
CASE # 4
(One of many)
With a radio set located at the
bedside and switched ON at the power point but OFF at the set caused insomnia. Once
the set was consistently switched OFF at the point at night the subject
experienced a refreshing night’s sleep.
ELECTROSTATIC ATTRACTION
- RADON GAS
PARTICLES
In NATURE magazine Vol 349
February circa 1992, a
correspondent, F.P. Ziemba
wrote a letter to the Editor, explaining
his discovery
of how naturally occurring
radon gas particles are attracted by
the high electrostatic fields which
are found at the surface of computer and TV screens. He believed this
was the cause of many complaints of
computer screen operators . He
found high levels of ionizing
radiation on the surface of the
display screen of computers and
TV viewing screens.
Radon gas enters houses by
ventilation and cracks in
foundations and is more prevalent
in air-conditioned premises where underground rock decay is also evident.
PROFESSOR
HENSHAW
The Ziemba findings
precede the study of Professor
Henshaw (UK), by approximately 10 years.
Professor Henshaw announced
in year 2000 that cancer,
in particular lung cancer may well be attributed to the ionizing
particles from pollutant aerosols which are
to be found around high voltage power lines. He warns that the greater
incidence of lung cancer occurs
within the path of prevailing winds which
carry these ionized particles.
Professor Henshaw and his
colleague Dr Peter Fews states that
the most serious physical health problems may be expected
from exposure to the electric fields
associated with high voltage power lines.
DOMESTIC APPLIANCES
Professor
Henshaw and Dr Fews reported in
1996 that cables from domestic appliances, such as hairdryers, acted like
magnets for radioactive substances – which are
formed by the natural decay of radon in the atmosphere into so-called
radioactive "daughters".
MWN
JULY/AUGUST 1996 Page 1 & 6
Dr Anthony
Miller et al., published a
paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology
(144, pp.150-160, 1996) “which
found workers exposed
to high levels
of magnetic
and electric fields had leukemia rates that were
up to 11 times greater than expected ” (MWN)
“ Millers team showed a striking increase
in leukemia
risk for cumulative exposure
to high electric and magnetic fields.
Indeed, the adjusted risk ratio for all leukemias
was 1.6 (non-significant) when the analysis was limited to
magnetic fields only. But
when the electric field was
included as well, the risk ratio
rose to 11.2, a significant result.”
It is believed that the combined effect of the magnetic and the electric
field is the vital factor in the
results In MWN
Dr Miller expressed his concern
that …”so much of the experimental
cellular work that has been done has screened out the electric fields. “
This paper was unfortunately released too late to be included in the
NASNRC report
which was due out in
September 1996.
J. Robert Ashley
Electrical
engineer, J. Robert Ashley, has experience
in both the academic and industrial sectors of
his profession. He
has said that
measurement of people's
exposure to electrical fields is required as it is
10 to 20 times more likely to explain the link between power lines and
childhood cancers than is the magnetic field alone.
He comments that many
studies have been compromised by failure of the investigators
to separate the electric and magnetic components of EMFs.
Source;
Biological Effects of Electric Fields from Video Display Terminals. IEEE-USA
Entity Position Statement August
13th 1990
Professor
Henshaw has expressed his surprise
that the importance of
the attraction of radioactive products
to oscillating electric
fields in our environment, has
escaped the notice of other researchers. His findings,
though drawing
severe criticism from some
quarters, is supported by The
Foundation for Children with Leukaemia and
is recommended for further serious
research.
Prof
Henshaw believes the magnetic field
is the main cause of depression and suicide.
One
mechanism by which this occurs
is the disruption of melatonin
production. He notes that there
have been studies supporting
this statement which show positive
correlation that have been around for 20
years.
SKIN
CANCER
“When you stand under a power line, the electrical
field distorts around you because
you are a conductor. These pollutants are oscillating back and forth around you
at 50Hz and they can land on you. Applying the NRPB's own risk factors, you can
predict an increase in skin cancer." (Henshaw & Frews )
RADON DAUGHTERS
However,
radon daughters mentioned earlier pale into insignificance next to another set
of villains named by Henshaw -
corona ions. High-voltage power lines produce a strong electrical field on the
line itself. This field is big enough to ionise the air around it - in other
words, to strip electrons from atoms.
The effect
is like nudging a line of dominoes: the ionisation of one atom triggers the
ionisation of another, leading to a chain reaction. The result is a line of
charged, highly reactive particles streaming away from the power cable. Henshaw
has measured the streams as far away as several kilometres from the line.
CAR EXHAUST POLLUTANTS
These
charged particles, or corona ions, act as magnets for air pollutants, including
carcinogens such as aromatic hydrocarbons from car exhausts. The electric charge
gives the pollutant, when inhaled, a greater ability to stick to the lung - so
rather than being exhaled, pollutants become lodged. "New York scientists
have found that if there is a charge, pollutants of this size are two or three
times more likely to be deposited in the lungs, he says. "In the confined
space of the lungs and airways, this charge makes
a big
difference.” (Henshaw)
LUNG CANCER
"The upshot is that you are
retaining air pollutants, some of which are
known to
be linked to lung cancer, in your lungs. You can then do a rigorous assessment
for lung cancer, which I put at between 250 and 400 cases a year.
When the
other effects of air pollutants, such as allergies and respiratory disease, are
factored in, Henshaw estimates that corona ions probably damage a few thousand
people every year. He also points out that corona ions have been known about
since the Fifties, and have been studied extensively by the industry.
The preceding reports point
to a somewhat neglected area of research, the
effects of electric field exposure and how this may
influence development of human
disease.
ROGER
COGHILL
In a
paper presented at the Contractors
Review in Tucson U.S.A.,(Nov 1998)
Roger Coghill criticized the fact that
a review of the available science at
the Conference
failed to include research that examined the effect of the
electric field In his own research he
examined the effect of the electric
field exposure and it’s role in
the development of childhood leukemia.
We quote:
“1.10 The lessons from
our study were important and significant: there
emerged a clear dose-response relationship, with good confidence
intervals, between ELF electric field strength and incidence of
childhood leukaemia. This is the only study investigating 24 hr measured electric fields in the bed places of children
diagnosed with leukaemia, and the only study in the entire literature finding a
clear dose-response,
and as such it deserved consideration by the Working Group despite its admitted
limitations.
1.11
Moreover, our findings were later supported by occupational studies of electric
field exposure (e.g. Miller, Agnew et al., 1996)
so I believe the Working Group has been guilty of ignoring an
important parameter in their assessment, and should have included our
study in their Review. Had they done so this would have directed the
epidemiogical community towards further and better ELF electric field
exposure studies. (Coghill)
MICROWAVE NEWS
July/August 1996 (Page 1
& 6) Dr Anthony Miller
expressed concern that “so
much of the experimental cellular work that has been done has
screened out the electric field ”
Dr Miller and associates published
a paper in American Journal of Epidemiology
(144, pp.150-160, 1996) “which
found workers exposed
to high levels of magnetic
and electric fields had leukemia rates that were
up to 11 times greater than expected ” (MWN)
“ Millers team showed a striking increase
in leukemia
risk for cumulative exposure
to high electric and magnetic fields.
Indeed the, the adjusted risk ratio for all leukemia was 1.6
(non-significant) when the analysis was limited to magnetic fields only. But
when the electric field was
included as well the risk ratio rose to 11.2, a significant result.”
It is believed that the combined effect of the magnetic and the electric
field is the vital factor in the
results. Dr Miller expressed
his concern that …”so much of
the experimental cellular work that
has been done has screened out the electric fields.’’
Reported
in Electromagnetic News Jan/Mar 1993
(Jan
Wallaczek ) found that there were “significant increases in cytosol-free Mn2+
influx in human T-cell (JURKAT) cells following only four minutes
non-thermal exposure to
electric fields of 50mV/cm2 This
finding has important
implications for inducing later stage EMF effects
on RNA/DNA synthesis, hence on cell mutation.
Reported
in Electromagnetic News Jan/Mar 1993
“A study
reported at the 1992 Congress from Robert Glaser from
the Humboldt University, Berlin, showed
how “an electric field alters the shape of red blood cells
thereby disturbing oxygen-carrying processes.
This has implications for carcinogesis,
since as Warburg showed some decades ago, that
cancer cells seem to have reverted
to a more primitive form
of ATP creation (by the Embden-Mayerhof pathway ), possibly as a result of
inadequate oxygen supply.
Another
study finds that an induced
electric field of 10-5V/m for only 30 minutes
each day resulted in an 80%
increase in collagen synthesis. This study was reported in a
review by Nigel Cridland
published by the NRPB 1992/3