DocumentCode
1111592
Title
Historical introduction to EMF health effects
Author
Bren, Stephan P Albert
Author_Institution
Madigan Army Med. Center, Tacoma, WA, USA
Volume
15
Issue
4
fYear
1996
Firstpage
24
Lastpage
30
Abstract
The history is traced from the knowledge of the ancient Greeks, through the effects of "static electricity" in the eighteenth century, to the nineteenth century which saw rapid developments in electrotechnology and also in medical uses of electricity and magnetism. Through the nineteenth century, attention began to shift from the applications of static electricity to those of galvanic current. The beginning of the twentieth century marked a period of intense interest of physiologists into the modes of interaction of RF energy with biological systems. Public controversy arose over the issue of microwave oven safety. Finally other questions of cancer in relation to ELF bioeffects and power-frequency magnetic and electric fields are addressed
Keywords
bioelectric phenomena; biological effects of fields; biological effects of microwaves; biomagnetism; distribution networks; health hazards; history; legislation; safety; ELF bioeffects; EMF health effects; RF energy; ancient Greeks; biological systems; cancer; eighteenth century; electric fields; electricity; electrotechnology; galvanic current; historical introduction; magnetism; medical uses; microwave oven safety; nineteenth century; power-frequency magnetic fields; public controversy; static electricity; Accidents; Contacts; Contracts; Feathers; Galvanizing; Glass; Iron; Medical diagnostic imaging; Muscles; Rubber;
fLanguage
English
Journal_Title
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, IEEE
Publisher
ieee
ISSN
0739-5175
Type
jour
DOI
10.1109/51.511979
Filename
511979
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