Re: Microwaves for You

[John Goldsmith <gjohn@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>]

Dear Radsafers:
     Those of you interested in possible health risks from microwaves 
should look at the first two articles in th American J. of Epdemiology 
for 1997,vol 145,1-17 by Dolk et al. on Cancer Incidence nar Radio and 
Television Transmitters in Great Britain.  A cancer cluster was observed near 
the Sutton Coldfield TV and FM tranmission towers.  Using postcoded cancer 
incidence data for 1974-1986, a study area was defined with a 10 km radius.
Adult lukemia within 2 km was 83% greater than expected.  Maximum power 
density summed across frequencies was 0.013 W/m2 for TV and 0.057 W/m2 
for FM, well within the non-thermal range. The second paper attempts to 
see what  the relationship is for another 20 high powerd TV and FM 
stations in Great Britain.   A decline in risk for adult leukmia with 
distance was significant, but the overall excess was small but significant, 
1.03.  Similar methods were used and rings were looked at within 10km.
 Hocking et al. have a similar study for N. Sydney in the Med. 
J. of Australia, December16, 1996 Vol 165,pp601-605, based on closer and 
more distant communities.
John R. Goldsmith, M.D.,M.P.H. Professor Epidemiology, Ben Gurion U. ISRAEL
gjohn@BGUMAIL.BGU.AC.IL