Amos: Some Microwave Madness, (Part 1).
In 1854 John Snow investigated an outbreak of Cholera in London. He had a theory that Cholera was a digestive based illness and suspected that its cause was polluted water. He reached this conclusion because as a physician he recognized that the symptoms of cholera were similar to those of some kinds of poisoning, rather than symptoms or air born disease such as pneumonia.
Upon investigating the cholera epidemic Snow reached the conclusion that the culprit was a water pump located in Broad Street. He surmised this since the victims were clustered near the pump, and gradually reduced as households had easy access to similar water supplies some distance away.
This is Snow’s original map, which records the location of
deaths in relation to the location of the pump.
Dr. Jack Walker, early this century, became interested in clusters of illness surrounding a mobile phone mast in the centre of the village of Whishaw.
A device to measure microwaves and pulsing from the mast, was able to detect excessive levels of microwaves within properties in Wishaw. Properties tested away from the Wishaw Mast showed no level of microwaves pollution. In Wishaw alone, there are 24 people who are considered to be ill as a result of this mast, five of which are breast cancer cases, coming up within the last 12 months.
Moreover, similar to the situation with the Broad Street pump and Cholera, the illnesses surrounding the Wishaw pump, illnesses surrounding the Wishaw mast were concentrated at 80 degrees from each other, which corresponded to the ways beams of energy are transmitted from such equipment.
It was recommended by investigating scientists to shift the base station antenna away form inhabited properties as far as a minimum of 500 metres, while reducing the emissions to a therapeutic level. As scientists we need to be cautious, however, about drawing parallels between such discoveries as the Broad Street water supply to Cholera, which led to Cholera being considered a water-born disease, and making similar conclusions about micro-wave emissions from mobile phone equipment and cancer.
Whilst it’s true that there is a weight of circumstantial evidence linking mobile phones with illness of various kinds, for example laboratory rats show genetic deformities after three generations of exposure to such pulsating radiation, the World Health Organization, (WHO), and its advisors such as the GSM Association, which is responsible for ensuring that your mobile phone is able to operate wherever you may travel across the globe, are all reluctant to link mobile phones to health risk.
The GSM Association advises no less than 700 mobile phone operators in 200 countries across the globe. It runs its own health research program and gives evidence to government enquiries in all the countries in which it has branches.
Naturally mobile phone operators wish to make sure that their services operate safely, and under uniform guidelines. They take seriously any criticisms arising from scientific research and are at pains to ensure that any research that gives rise to disquiet is rebuffed, if only by stating that the results are inconclusive.
Unfortunately it is the nature of science that far more pilot studies are commissioned than there are funds available for substantial research projects. Such money that mobile phone companies accrue is mainly focussed toward the development of a better infrastructure and technology, which is all to the good except that health research is left for others to fund.
The WHO has issued guidelines for those of us who operate mobile phones. These include using a separate headset so the antenna, with its 2 to 4 watt output, doesn’t fry your brain. Liver, heart or kidneys however must fend for themselves!
Those who cite illnesses, such as fatigue, with mobile phone operation have yet to have their research recognized as valid. Some claim it demonstrates a causal link between mobile phone radiation, but the kind of mobile phone usage that enables employers to people to be available 24/7 also can’t help where fatigue is concerned.
So where does this leave us? Quite simply your mobile phone is probably far more dangerous than you realize particularly if you make use of it every day and for every kind of trivial communication. The government is unlikely to tell you this, at least until a firm linkage is made between mobile phones and illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, general dyspepsia and cancer. Look how long they took to inform you about the health risk associated with tobacco.
The link between radio emissions such as X-Rays, Gamma Rays and the like as being deleterious to health was made years ago. Your mobile phone, and its transmitting base station, is far less dangerous than such ionizing radiation, indeed a mobile phone relay is less dangerous than a T.V. transmitter.
Pulsating micro-wave transmission, even at relatively low-wattage, has not been proven or disproved to be a health risk to humans. Certainly such radiation causes the deterioration of the fabric of houses according to the findings of estate agents, and has been demonstrated to cause abnormalities in laboratory rats.
Israel, which has a high dependence on GSM mobiles, is proposing to mount an inquiry into safety, and a committee of the European standards body CENELEC has recommended a substantial reduction in their exposure standards.
