Scientist Claims Solid
Mobile Phones 'Health Risk' Evidence
Ananova
May 15, 2001
An Australian scientist
claims he has the world's first real evidence that mobile phone radiation can
cause health problems.
Dr Bruce Hocking says he has
found three cases where nerve problems, pain and loss of sensation can be
blamed on mobile technology. He presented three case studies demonstrating the
phenomenon to the College of Physicians Conference in Sydney.
He says the tests were
carried out under laboratory conditions and the results may force a rethink of
the Australian standards set for radiation emissions. In each of the cases,
the patients complained of pain from using their phone, and temporary changes
to scalp nerve function were documented.
The Sydney Morning Herald
reports that in one case a 72-year-old man who used his phone frequently felt
a bruised sensation on his scalp that had no medical cause.
Dr Hocking and colleagues
then found the man had an altered "perception threshold" when cotton
wool was brushed across his teeth.
A 34-year-old woman
complained of headaches during prolonged use of her phone and tests showed
marked changes in the nerves in that area.
Finally a 31-year-old mobile
phone worker is reported to have suffered headaches and blurred vision after
accidentally working on a mobile phone transmitter which he wrongly thought
was switched off.
"If we're getting
affects at low levels with these sorts of tissues it raises questions about
the standard because no one should be getting any changes if the standard's
right," Dr Hocking said.
