SHORT WAVE THERAPY
W. J. TURRELL · 1935
1935 medical research used intense radiofrequency energy therapeutically, providing historical context for modern EMF safety debates.
Plain English Summary
This 1935 research by Turrell examined short wave therapy, an early medical application using high frequency electromagnetic currents to generate heat in body tissues. The study explored diathermy treatments, which use radiofrequency energy to create therapeutic thermal effects in patients. This represents some of the earliest documented medical use of RF electromagnetic fields on humans.
Why This Matters
This 1935 study represents a fascinating piece of EMF history that's directly relevant to today's debates about radiofrequency safety. While doctors were already using RF energy therapeutically in the 1930s, we're now concerned about much lower-level exposures from cell phones and WiFi. The reality is that short wave diathermy delivered far more intense RF energy to patients than any consumer device today. What this means for you is perspective: if therapeutic RF was considered safe enough for medical use nearly a century ago, it highlights how our understanding of RF bioeffects has evolved. The science demonstrates that dose, frequency, and exposure duration all matter when evaluating RF safety.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Show BibTeX
@article{short_wave_therapy_g4988,
author = {W. J. TURRELL},
title = {SHORT WAVE THERAPY},
year = {1935},
}