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.