THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CURRENTS OF VERY HIGH FREQUENCY (135,000,000 TO 3,300,000 CYCLES PER SECOND)
J. W. Schereschewsky · 1926
Scientists were documenting biological effects from radiofrequency fields nearly 100 years ago using primitive equipment.
Plain English Summary
This 1926 study by Schereschewsky examined the physiological effects of very high frequency currents on laboratory animals using vacuum tube oscillator technology. The research represents one of the earliest scientific investigations into how radiofrequency electromagnetic fields affect biological systems. This pioneering work laid groundwork for understanding EMF health effects nearly a century before widespread wireless technology adoption.
Why This Matters
This research holds remarkable significance as one of the first documented studies examining radiofrequency effects on living organisms. In 1926, Schereschewsky was investigating biological impacts of high frequency currents when radio broadcasting was still in its infancy and most homes had no electrical appliances. The fact that researchers nearly 100 years ago were already documenting physiological effects from RF exposure should give us pause about today's exponentially higher exposure levels.
What makes this study particularly relevant is the technology gap. The vacuum tube oscillators used in 1926 produced far weaker fields than today's cell phones, WiFi routers, and 5G networks that bombard us 24/7. If researchers could detect measurable physiological changes with primitive 1920s equipment, the implications for our current high-intensity, multi-frequency electromagnetic environment deserve serious consideration from health authorities who continue to dismiss EMF concerns.
Figures from the Original Paper
Diagrams extracted from the original research document.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: Variable time until death, typically within minutes
Study Details
To investigate the physiological effects of high-frequency currents on laboratory animals, particularly examining the lethality and symptoms associated with exposure at various frequencies.
Laboratory mice (19-22 grams) were exposed to high-frequency oscillating fields between condenser pl...
Death occurred within minutes of exposure to high-frequency currents. Symptoms included agitation, c...
High-frequency currents cause severe physiological effects in laboratory animals, with lethality varying significantly with frequency. The effects are most pronounced in a frequency band from 66 to 18.3 million cycles per second. The mechanism appears to involve more than simple heating, possibly including dielectric loss, hysteresis, or mechanical vibrations of tissue cells. This frequency band of electromagnetic radiation has not been extensively studied in its effects on living cells.
Show BibTeX
@article{the_physiological_effects_of_currents_of_very_high_frequency_135_000_000_to_3_30_g6777,
author = {J. W. Schereschewsky},
title = {THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CURRENTS OF VERY HIGH FREQUENCY (135,000,000 TO 3,300,000 CYCLES PER SECOND)},
year = {1926},
}