MAGNETISM IN BIOLOGY
Yu. A. Kholodov · 1973
A 1970 Russian book reviews the history of magnetotherapy and modern research reporting favorable effects of magnetic fields on pain and cardiovascular diseases.
Plain English Summary
The book traces the history of magnetotherapy from antiquity through the 17th century and the 1780 Paris commission that concluded magnets directly influence nerves. Romanian physicians treating 4,000 patients observed favorable effects on nervous system disorders, chronic illnesses, and skin diseases. A 1966 Moscow conference heard reports that magnetic bracelets normalized blood pressure in early-stage hypertension and reduced subjective symptoms in nervous and cardiovascular diseases.
Why This Matters
Binet and Feret concluded that magnets suppress sensations, hallucinations, and recollections, acting like a weak electrical current on the nervous system. In 1888 Hermann concluded from frog muscle experiments that magnetic fields have no biological effect, though Danilevskiy argued the negative result could not be generalized. Interest in magnetotherapy declined in the early 20th century as electrotherapy methods like diathermy and UHF became prominent.
Finding
In the United States Barnothy repeated his experiments on the influence of the magnetic field on the growth of mice. In fields of 4,200 and 3,600 oe the average growth rate of the mice was 5.78 g, but 8.33 g outside the field. There was particularly sharp retardation of growth on the second and tenth days spent in the magnetic field.
In their words
“In the United States Barnothy repeated his experiments on the influence of the magnetic field on the growth of mice. In fields of 4,200 and 3,600 oe the average growth rate of the mice was 5.78 g, but 8.33 g outside the field. There was particularly sharp retardation of growth on the second and tenth days spent in the magnetic field.”
Show BibTeX
@article{magnetism_in_biology_g6539,
author = {Yu. A. Kholodov},
title = {MAGNETISM IN BIOLOGY},
year = {1973},
}