A-Com, February 7, 2008 Reviewer: Dr D Samways from UK As a conventionally trained doctor (was a GP) and a sufferer from airborne mould allergy; I have taken both a professional and a personal interest in aspects of our environment which increase 'total load' on the body, which may affect anyone with allergy, and other health problems. Some people are especially sensitive to various electrical phenomena, and suffer ill-health when living near electrical transformers, power lines or mobile phone masts. There are reports of chronically ill children whose health improved dramatically when their bed was moved away from the house 'consumer unit' (incoming electrical main and associated fuse boxes and meters.) Perhaps these people are the electrical equivalent of 'the canary in the coal mine,' an early warning to us all, at a time when we are increasingly surrounded by an invisible smog of electro-magnetic phenomena. Such people suffer from Electrical Sensitivity and for a variety of reasons, the diagnosis is being missed by doctors and discouraged by governments. The diagnosis is made through taking a careful history and listening to the patient. There are no tests and physical examination does not help. Symptoms are non-specific but invariable include energy loss and fatigue. I have a fantasy that, one day we, will have a machine that will allow us to see what the atmosphere looks like in terms of its content of dust, mould etc. and also such invisibles as electromagnetic, microwave and other electrical phenomena, both natural and man made. (Qv. the horror 'smog' shown up by a sunbeam at a certain angle, when all the dust is exposed to view, but for electrical phenomena.) My fantasy includes a way of showing these phenomena in a full colour representation of a sample of the atmosphere, it would be alarming, but could provide the impetus for change. I call them 'electrosmog'. It is true that we should all be concerned with our electrical environment at work and at home, and in particular in bedroom, leisure and eating places, whether or not we are known to suffer from Electrical Sensitivity. 'Electrosmog' is part of the total load on the body from other pollutants (chemicals in food, in the air, allergens and other unavoidable exposures of daily life,) and every effort should be made to reduce it or confine it to areas away from bedrooms and living rooms. There is an increasing use of small, low voltage transformers powering individual items such as phones, computers and hi-fi. These transformers have been found to affect the lie of the pile of carpets, so one wonders what it is doing to us. House cordless phones of the newer digital type can be shown with a meter to put out an electro-magnetic field over a wide area from the charger, and the handset output probably has the capability to affect brain function. Until recently an electrical survey of ones house was not easy or cheap to accomplish, however thanks to Sensory Perspective's new instruments it is now possible to do this oneself at reasonable cost, and to make sure one is sleeping in a safe place. The ability to measure things accurately may also help us to convince a sceptical medical profession that this problem exists. Two instruments suitable for domestic use are the 'Electrosmog Detector' which detects microwave radiation from all wireless technologies and the ME3030B Gauss/Tesla meter for AC electric and magnetic fields. Both these are simple to use and will give a good guide to the electrical phenomena in a home or work place. Case Histories: Only 'anecdotal' but so were the first few cases of the plague, everything starts 'anecdotal'. 1. A farmer allowed a mobile phone mast to be sited on his land twelve years ago. He has developed cancer, his son has moved away because of it and eight of his neighbours, in a small community, have also developed cancer. The farmer can not get out of the contract which still has a further eight years to run, and is desperate. 2. A cluster of leukaemia cases has occurred in a fishing village near Fife, Scotland, in the 12 years since a Dolphin mast (similar to TETRA) was installed nearby. This had previously been a very fit community. 3. A couple on the Isle of Wight became ill very soon after a TETRA mast sited close to their house went 'live' they felt so ill that they could only use the basement of their house. They tried covering the windows with aluminium cooking foil, not only did this not help, but the foil developed unexplained holes within a few days... Dr Diana Samways qualified in Medicine from the Royal Free Hospital and worked in General Practice. She now runs a holistic medical practice in Haslemere Surrey with a particular interest in IBS, candida, allergies, including moulds; depression, anxiety and the connection between allergy and addiction. Dr Samways is an entertaining public speaker on holisitic health topics. Her popular book: 'I'm a Patient, Get me out of Here.' is available through www.allergydoctor.org.uk or 01428 643021. Copyright Dr D Samways 2006 (Dr Samways has no financial involvement in Sensory Perspective.) |
