Subject: "A marked deck....."
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 025726 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To: emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------
.......Wayne, receipt of your message (below) is terribly rewarding
to me. For reasons which I will not go into, recent weeks have been
very discouraging. Your message plus a few others (like John Evans'
message this weekend) encourage me to keep going.....We ARE making
progress.....But!!!
I wish I could provide you some encouraging answers to your question
below about the "open mindedness" of NIEHS (and others in the
"establishment" scientific community) to the abundance of "anecdotal"
evidence that is being reported here on EMF-L (and elsewhere!) by
competent educated people.....But!!!
Wayne, the situation as I have seen it (at NIEHS) is that they are
not even willing to acknowledge solid, double blind, replicated lab
experiments (like the work done on melatonin by Liburdy) when it produces
results which do not conform with their EXPECTATIONS. I see a
governmental/industry science community that has so totally rejected
the EMF/health effects hypothesis that the only fair description is
that they have a ***closed mind.*** Not just NIEHS. Repacholi (at WHO)
is an example. Virtually the entire scientific literature "community"
is an example. The PhD who chaired the Minnesota meeting, Dr. M. A.
Gallo (selected by NIEHS) is an example......The list of examples of such
"closed mindedness" is too long even to continue.....
And yet the evidence of "bio-effects" at EMF exposure levels that we
_already_ have in our environment (and which are increasing exponentially)
has clearly reached the point where it is ***beyond dispute.***
If ever a science 'game' was being played with a "marked deck," it is this
one.... Nevertheless, many thanks for your message below. I hope all
will read it carefully ... and think about it!!!.... I WILL
persevere......guru.....
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 18:29:57 -0500
From: "Wayne D. Federer"
To: "Roy L. Beavers"
Subject: Electric Field Health Effects
Dear Roy,
First of all, my sincere thanks for hosting this stimulating discussion
forum! Over the last 2½ months since I signed onto your list, I have
thoroughly enjoyed reading the opinions and stories from the experts. As I
prepare for my new consulting career as a "bau-biology environmental
inspector" (finding, mitigating and avoiding building practices that are
detrimental to human health and well-being, including EMF), this has been a
great learning experience to supplement my studies at the International
Institute of Bau-biologie and Ecology ("IBE") in Clearwater, FL. But now,
I think it's now time for me to move from spectator to getting involved a
little in the lively discussion.
First, I think it appropriate to provide you a brief personal introduction.
Like my EMF health effects mentor, Spark Burmaster, I live in western
Wisconsin (but to the north, near Minneapolis-St. Paul). I have a Ph.D. in
physical inorganic chemistry - my thesis was a study of electron dynamics
(at the molecular level) and phase transformations of transition
metal-organic complexes, relying heavily on magnetic susceptibility
measurements with a vibrating sample magnetometer, and on spectroscopic
methods such as nuclear gamma-ray resonance (Mössbauer spectroscopy) and
electron spin resonance (ESR, which utilizes microwave radiation). I then
spent 14 years working as a scientist in the manufacturing industry,
performing research in diverse areas such as the surface modification and
characterization of magnetic recording materials; ceramic materials;
instrumental analysis; environmental catalysis, adsorption and filtration
materials (for diesel and automotive exhaust and indoor air purification).
Nevertheless, I have never trusted the mainstream "better life through
chemistry" mentality that is pushed by the corporate powers, though I am
also wary of uninformed, "scientifically illiterate" views that often
pervade the public dialogue. Like many of you, I have always been
motivated primarily by my social conscience (saving the world, etc.) For
many years I have belonged to and been active in numerous national
environmentalist organizations. At work as a scientist, I managed to
incorporate environmental problems as the focus of my last several years of
industrial research; I also did all I could to champion a higher level of
environmental awareness in the design of products and processes by our
company's technical community. My years of voluntary service as a
radiation safety officer, a building safety inspector, and a hazard review
coordinator undoubtedly also enhanced my appreciation regarding how big
business (and to some extent also government agencies) are really run.
This brings me to why I am here, and to the subject of my initial post to
EMF-L. I apologize if this subject might have been discussed at any length
before I joined EMF-L. But even if it has, I think Roger Coghill's recent
input (see 06:24 AM 9/14/98 "Roger Coghill's submission to the Tucson NIEHS
meeting") regarding the NIEHS working group report (and also some of
Alasdair Philips' research and comments), stressing the importance of and
neglect of electric field considerations, make renewal of this discussion
timely.
Towards the end of my tenure in industry, I became sicker and sicker with
chronic fatigue, "brain fog," and other symptoms commonly associated with
depressive syndromes. Eventually I was unable to work, which hastened my
departure a little over a year ago. For the last five years I have
struggled with recurring symptoms. Having decided that bau-biology was a
PERFECT match for my interests and background, I began (during periods I
was feeling somewhat better) to prepare for opening my own consulting
business. In February of this year, I learned the nuts and bolts of
"electro-biology" from Spark and his colleagues at IBE. I was really
struggling with my health for the entire first half of this year, but in
early June I finally tried out some of what I had learned in February.
Specifically, I dramatically reduced my nighttime ELF electric field
exposure in the bedroom. (Using body voltage as an easily and reproducibly
measured surrogate for electric field exposure, I now sleep at 5 to 10 mV
rather than my previous level of 1 to 5 volts. As many of you undoubtedly
know, the bau-biologists in Europe and the U.S. recommend a level of < 10
mV for sensitive and sick people.) It has been only 3½ months and it is
too early to know whether this is just a coincidence, but I have felt
remarkably better in all respects since then! Bau-biologists in Europe and
around the world (especially the master, Wolfgang Maes) could tell you
hundreds of similar accounts ("anecdotal evidence") of people's health
dramatically improving with reduced exposure to AC electric fields. (The
same can be said regarding both AC and DC magnetic fields, but I am getting
the impression from talking to bau-biologists that electric field
mitigation often produces the most immediate and dramatic effects.
Just a couple of days ago I received the NIEHS working group report, and I
would like to focus my own official comments on ELECTRIC FIELD
considerations, echoing and possibly expanding on Roger's comments. To
date I haven't even cracked the front cover, but I seek advice and input
now from anyone so inclined. Will the presentation of "anecdotal evidence"
from bau-biologists and others help the case in the eyes of the reviewers?
Will the discussion of double-blind experiments demonstrating that electric
field hypersensitivity is real be considered relevant? Will circumstantial
evidence concerning non-cancer related illnesses be considered?
I am also wondering about compiling a large database containing "anecdotal
evidence" such as my own story, gathered from bau-biologists and EMF
consultants around the world, for some sort of scientific publication.
Hundreds or thousands of documented "anecdotes," all in a single place,
just might make a significant impact on the skeptics and naysayers! (Would
this not be a much more powerful effect than hearsay and scattered
individual reports that noone in high places knows about or believes?) Any
comments?
I look forward to many years of getting acquainted with you wonderful folks
all around our "blue world!"
Sincerely yours,
Wayne
Wayne D. Federer, Ph.D.
Brambleberry Run Associates
767 160th Avenue
New Richmond, WI 54017
Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html