1.6 million Swedes have been studied between 1971-1984 and have been checked against the national cancer register. All the participants had an occupation and were divided into groups. 
Three "riskgroups" were used. The highest exposure group contained i.e train drivers and sewing machine operators. The middle group contained i.e secretaries and architects and the lower group contained i.e drivers and hospital workers. 

It is interesting to note that the study ends in 1984 when so many people started using computers and also became electrically sensitive. Now we are much more exposed through computers and microwave (cellular) telephones and other electronic gadgets. What kind of result will we get when a similar study is later made covering a different time-span? 

It is worrying, that the study shows that so many indoor workers (as oppsoed to outdoor workers) get malignant melanoma (skin cancer). The question arises why? 

Is it the the fact that magnetic fields inhibits the cancer-fighting melatonin in the body? Or could it be the shortwave ultra-violet light (from fluorescent lights) that the body does not have a defence against? Or is it the VDTs with its radiation including i.e magnetic, electric, ultraviolet and microwaves? 

The study will be published this fall. 

The article describes a woman and engineer, Ulla Albertsson, working for ALFA LAVAL. She developed their milking system "Alpro". It is based on magnetic pulses at the frequency of 130 MgHz being sent from somewhere in the barn. Each cow has a tag around its neck. The tag sends back (reflects) magnetic pulses and so the cow's milk production is recorded and the feeding regulated. The article describes how this poor woman, whilst developing this system, had the antenna which emits the em radiation aimed at her eyes. It was sometimes placed only 20cm (8 inches) from the eye. She developed severe eye and neurological problems but she got no recognition or help from the company. Even after having lost most of her eyesight, they wanted her to continue the work, being ridiculed for her hesitancy.  She had had a half dozen eye operations and was half blind. It was important that she finished the project or the company would loose money she was told. The doctors carried out all these operations without ever reflecting why this woman had two detached retinas at the same time. She was continually assured that this could have nothong to do with electromagnetic radiation. 

The article also tells of one man working at the Stockholm stock exchange who has become electrically sensitive from his work at VDTs, and about the electrical sanitation carried out by LIBEREL AB. This campany built entire shielding modules which house the many VDTs used. The outside of the modules,is nice looking wood. On the inside, there is grounded metal sheeting. In front, there are large sheets of grounded glass.The grounded metal and the grounded glass eliminates virtually all the electric emissions. There is also an exhust and cooling system that takes the chemical emissions from the VDTs away from the workplace. Many of the people affected have reported great improvements in health after the installation. 

Despite her terrible condition, sores and all, she was told she imagined things. "Thank God I had a boss and co-workers who believed me. Or I probably would have ended up in a psychiatric ward" she said. 

The minister, Ingela Thalen, had invited them, having no doubt seen Christine's face in the AFTONBLADET newspaper. One picture says more than a thousand words apparently. 
The minister was told by Bruno Hagi that the Socialsyrelsen's psychological interpretation had meant great hardships for the electrically sensitive. She promised to "send signals" downwards to stop this. There is now a direct communication link between this union and the government. This one union has done what the white collar union's top organization (TCO) should have done ten years ago. Well done Bruno Hagi at SIF ! 

One of the experts is Kjell Hansson Mildh at the WORK LIFE INSTITUTE in Umea, Sweden. He has spoken to many cellular phone users who say that they experience the same symptoms as electrically sensitive individuals get from electricity. There is a particular interest in the GSM (digital) technique which gives off energy (pulsed 217 times per second) with a stronger biological impact than the old analogue technique. The group will have same preliminary results this spring. 

Anders Sihlbom at the  Factory Technical Research Institute (Verkstadsteknisk Forskning, Gothenburg) talked about how easily car manufacturers could remedy the very strong electromagnetic fields found in cars. The newer and more exclusive the cars are, the more electromagnetic fields. 

This is nothing new to the electrically sensitive who experience great difficulties in driving cars. They prefer older, simpler ones. The best are usually older diesel ones, with the generator turned off. German cars, have a "good reputation" among electrically sensitive. This is probably due to stricter German law regarding EMC (electromagnetic compatability). 

A representative from SKANDIA, the largest insurance company in Scandinavia, Mr. Hans-Olof Olsson talked about how the company dealt with the 125 electrically sensitive individuals(out of a total of 4000 employees). SKANDIA accepts the connection between electromagnetic fields from VDTs and electrically sensitive and they help their employees as much as they can. They rebuild VDTs, carry out electric sanitation and have in some cases bought specially handmade DC-current Computers/VDTs.  They do all they can when people get sick. and also, take some preventive measures but primarily, they act when someone gets sick. The company is unique in that it has a central handling of all local cases which means a better knowledge. It also has a special policy for electrical sensitivity. (adress: Skandia, 103 50 Stockholm). 

Local managers who are skeptical, are told to take the injured seriously. 

Professor Per Arne Öckerman, talked about his preliminary findings that electrically sensitive people have poor defence against free radicals and when exposed to e/m fields he has observed a lowered immune response among the el. sensitive. He recommends the use of anti-oxidants, even though they do not "cure" electrical sensitivity, they are helpful against free radicals which are harmful. 

The cost will be shared by the regional boards of Stockholm and Solna. 

Many critics have long maintained that it is an imossibility that weak currents generated in the body (by e/m fields)can have any biological effect but this study confirms that extremely low fields do have a biological impact. When stydying human cells they have established how previously unknown mechanism affect human cells. They have found something that might work as a  receptor (named CD-45 in the cell membrane) in the cells for electromagnetic fields." 

The team is headed by professor Erik Lundgren. They work with a kind of T-cells, Jurkat cells and they have found an explanation why cell calcium levels change when exposed to e/m fields. 
The discovery was presented by Eva Lindstrom in her doctorate thesis at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Umeå University. She will continue her research in the U.S 

Ross Adey from Linda Vista in California, was the official reviewer of her thesis. His presence shows the importance of the findings. (Much to everyones surprise, he said in an interview with a local paper that the electric sensitivity  was a Scandinavian ethnic problem. it sounded as though he was not aware that there are several E/S groups in America. When one of these groups called his office, they replied that they received calls daily from concerned electrically sensitive individuals in the U.S !?)