With great apologies to the list. I didn't start this.
In <970331133300_-1704650679@emout04.mail.aol.com>, DANMAS@aol.com
wrote: >In a message dated 97-03-30, A.B. Bonds write:
>
><< >>> The problem is that the electrical converter in the trailer is located
> >>> under the bed on my wife's side. She knows that it is not healthy to
> >>sleep
> >>> in close proximity to electrical fields. She wants me to "do the right
> >>> thing" and prevent any possible problem by eliminating the danger.
>
> She knows? By what authority?? This past year, not only the IEEE but also
> Consumer's Union agreed that the available data on the impact of electrical
> fields showed no discernible impact on health. But then, it's a wife, she
> must be right according to The Rules. >>
>
>I don't know how many of you are old enough to remember, but I can remember
>how much fun it was to go to the store with my Mom when I was a little kid to
>buy shoes. I thought it was great fun to wiggle my toes in the X-ray machines
>and watch my bones move. The experts said that was harmless, too!
>
>I personaly don't believe the electric fields involved are any danger, but a
>little healthy skepticism is worth while, particularly by someone like John's
>wife who is probably not very knowledgeable about such matters. Based on past
>history, who can she really trust?
>
The issue here is that (unlike the shoe X-ray machines, which were
designed with wonderful ignorance) the impact of electric fields has
been studied extremely thoroughly, using epidemiological statistics
from all over the world. The issue arose from some scare-tactic books
written by such scientific types as a reporter for the New Yorker
magazine and a nurse in Colorado. Because of the potential for
lawsuits, a significant amount of scientific effort was expended on
determining whether the percentages of cancers etc were actually
higher for people living near transmission lines. Late last year, a
very complete report examining the outcomes of all known studies was
completed and summarized in the IEEE Spectrum. Bottom line: Health
risks as a consequence of exposure to em fields from transmission
lines, electric blankets and the like were not statistically
significant. Some of the earlier reports had claimed significant
problems for people living in the area of transformers. What the
"researchers" don't understand is that transformers, when properly
designed (which is most of the time), emit rather less radiation than
a telephone. Junk science is junk science.
A. B. Bonds
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