The Magic of Magnets
courtesy The Science Instruments Company
©2003 The Science Instruments Company
and BioMagnetics International
All rights reserved
by Morris Tischler
and Technical Staff
I hobbled into the Baltimore-Washington International Airport lobby on my cane, with my bag of pills.
Maureen (my wife) called for an electric cart to take us out to the gate. I had been suffering excruciating pain for more than a month. A pinched nerve in my back was radiating pain down my right leg and into the ankle. I questioned whether I would make the 7-1/2 hour trip to London, sit there for 8 hours, and then fly 9 more hours to Johannesburg, South Africa. I was not looking forward to the trip, but my seminars at various universities had been planned for several months, and I was too embarrassed to cancel them.
Should I make the trip? Would I have to turn back? Would I need a doctor in London? These thoughts rippled through my brain as the plane soared off into the atmosphere.
We arrived in Johannesburg, visited Cape Town and Pretoria, and I made my presentations (most of the time, while sitting on stools or chairs). I was unable to stand erect without holding on. I finally reached the outskirts of Johannesburg again, and there I met a person who suggested I visit a German lady who knew how to relieve back pains. Our hostess showed me some small magnets attached to adhesive tape that the German lady had used on her back, She arranged a Sunday night meeting with the therapist who used magnets, and I went. I thought, “What do I have to lose? The Ibuprofen and other medications I was consuming were not alleviating the pain. Why not try some other approach?”
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Being an engineer and inventor, I was indeed very skeptical about the treatment.
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We were greeted and brought into her examination room, which consisted of a soil recliner chair, several shelves of magnets and herbal medications. She felt my back, leg and ankle and said that the pain was not from the sciatic nerve but indeed there was a pinched nerve. Magnets were applied over the painful areas and, after she had placed the eighth or ninth magnet, she told me that I was free to go and that I should observe some improvement in the next 5 to 8 days. A small booklet about magnets was given to me, and I paid the one hundred dollars requested. Being an engineer and inventor, I was indeed very skeptical about the treatment.
At 6 a.m. the next morning, to my great surprise, I was able to walk without a cane or holding on to the walls or furniture. There was a slight pain, but nothing like I had been experiencing for the six previous weeks. I spent the day walking in Johannesburg, visiting the university and making my presentation, all without the use of a cane. In the days that followed, the pain lessened but never completely went away. My back had been in pain for the last 58 years, so I didn’t expect it to disappear completely, but it certainly was greatly diminished, and there was no leg pain.
What was it that caused those little metal magnets that were taped to my back and legs to reduce my pain so rapidly? The book provided by the therapist was informative, but not detailed enough to understand what was happening. When I returned to Baltimore, Maureen ordered seven more books on the subject of magnetism, most by medical searchers and practitioners who have spent their lives working with magnets.
Since I am an electronics engineer with many years in the biomedical field, I was particularly interested in what the magnets could do, what they had done, and why they had performed as they did. I have always had great curiosity, and indeed used it to invent the first solid-state pacemaker (for many years at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington). I have held patents on many other unique medical instruments and teaching devices. I had a general knowledge about magnets, namely that like poles repel and unlike poles attract; the magnetic field goes from the north pole to the south pole or south pole or north pole, depending on who you talk to or whose book you read; and magnets. were used to make loudspeakers, tape recorders, military radar, and many other devices. That’s where it stopped. Nowhere had I learned that magnets could affect the human body -- but they do.
So I started investigating what magnets are, and how they are created from electromagnetic forces. What are the effects of magnets on plants and animals? How do electromagnetic fields affect the human body? How do we humans relate to and require the magnetic fields of the Earth, as do many birds and animals? Finally, what caused the pain in my back and limbs to dissipate as a result of applying magnets.
Let’s start at the beginning, with what I learned and observed from personal experimentation.
Magnetism and Magnetic Properties
The mysterious power of magnetism has fascinated people wherever and whenever they have come into contact with it. Magnetism was discovered thousands of years ago in China; however, other areas of the world have also experienced its effects. Legend has it that in ancient Greece, a shepherd named Magnes discovered a magnetic rock. While leading his sheep across the mountain, he struck the metal tip of his crooked rod into the rock and found that an unseen force (a magnetic field) held the iron rod in place. It was only with great effort that he was able to free the rod from the rock. No one had a ready explanation, so it was assumed that the rock, which they called Magnet, had a soul of its own.
The answer to this invisible magnetic force remained a mystery until Gilbert (1544-1603), an English physician, came close to explaining the secret. His book, De Magnett, contained much information about magnetism. He discovered that you could break a magnet into smaller and smaller pieces, and each piece would still exhibit the same magnetic properties. Now we know that these properties result from the electrons in each atom spinning in a circular path around its nucleus. When an external force is applied to ferrous metal (iron), the atoms and their electrons orient in one direction, and the metal is said to have a north pole and south pole similar to the poles of the Earth.
The Earth’s molten lava, spinning in the depth of its core, is thought to generate millions or billions of amperes of electrical current. This electrical current creates the magnetic field around the Earth, which we refer to as the magnetic North and South Poles.
Some older books indicate that the magnetic field flows from the North Pole to the South Pole and returns internally from the south pole to the north pole. It is now thought that the magnetic field flows around the Earth from the South Pole to the North Pole. A discovery by a geological researcher in Australia indicates that perhaps every ten thousand to fifty thousand years, the Earth’s magnetic field continues to decrease and eventually changes its direction of flow.
Fifty years ago, the Earth’s magnetic field had a strength of approximately 5 Gauss. The Gauss is a unit of measure that indicates the number of magnetic lines passing through I square centimeter. At the present time, as a result of numerous man-made magnetic fields created from power lines, radio waves, etc., the Earth’s magnetic field is thought to be 0.4 Gauss. It is obvious that it appears to be approaching zero. What will happen when this takes place is not yet known. Some felt that, as a result of the change in the Earth’s magnetic field, some animals did not survive and became extinct. It is well known that the human body requires the Earth’s magnetic field for both its muscle and bone strength. Animals and birds may also require the magnetic field for their body strength as well as for their guidance and body orientation. Whales, for example, navigate from Alaska down to islands near San Diego, California, and return to Alaska. They may indeed depend on the Earth’s magnetic field for migration guidance.
Pigeons can fly home from hundreds of miles away by following the Earth’s magnetic field. In an experiment, a small magnet placed in the back of the head of a pigeon was shown to interfere with the bird’s ability to lock on to the Earth’s magnetic field. With the magnet in place on its head, the pigeon flew in circles and directions not known to the pigeon. When the magnet was removed, the bird, when sent aloft, flew back home. An element in the brain of birds, animals and humans is subject to the Earth’s magnetic fields.
The pineal gland, located at the brain stem in the human, is sensitive to the eyes’ light energy as well as to the Earth’s magnetic field. This gland produces melatonin (among other chemicals), which helps us to sleep. The eyes register lower light levels and a small portion of the retina’s optic nerve output goes to the pineal gland and advises it to liberate melatonin so the body can sleep. This gland may not be as sensitive to magnetic energy as are similar glands in animals such as dogs and cats.
Composition of Magnets
What are magnetic fields, and what are man-made magnets? As previously indicated, iron can be magnetized into a magnet. Plain iron does not make a good magnet; however, when mixed with other metals such as cobalt, the iron takes on unusual magnetic strengths and retains its magnetic force. A magnet composed of aluminum, nickel, cobalt and iron exhibits remarkable magnetic properties and is one of the strong alloy magnets. It is referred to as A1NiCo and has been used in many applications during and since World War II. This type of magnet produces about 12,000 Gauss. The Gauss, a unit of measure, is named after Karl S. Gauss (1777-1855), a German mathematician and experimenter in physics.
Many other types of metals have been combined with iron, which is the most plentiful mineral in the Earth’s crust. Iron mixed with a ceramic base produces a magnetic strength of 500 to 5,000 Gauss. Some new rare earth magnets (Samarium and Neodymium) have magnetic strengths of 8,000 to 12,000 Gauss.
If a magnet retains its strength, it is said to be a permanent magnet. If it loses its strength, it is said to be a temporary magnet. Magnets of different diameters, different Gauss strength, and composed of various types of materials can also be used for reducing muscular pain in the body. It appears that the weaker the magnet, the longer it takes to create healing. However, extremely strong magnets may have some detrimental side effects. At present, there are few known side effects from the use of magnetic energy.
Theories about magnetic fields
Magnets may be marked with either a north pole or a south pole. Exhibit A shows the Earth with its magnetic fields, and its core acting as a permanent magnet. It should be noted that the geographic North Pole is not the same as the magnetic North Pole. Dr. Albert Roy Davis and Dr. Walter C. Rawls, Jr. of Green Cover Springs, Florida, pioneered the effects of magnetic fields on plants, animals and humans. They received numerous patent awards for their developments.
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Figure A shows the traditional pathway of the magnetic field. Figure B shows the Davis and Rawls concept, namely that the Earth’s magnetic field is rotating in a spiral form and enters the Equator. It then leaves the Equator and enters the North Pole. On its way to the Equator, the Earth’s magnetic field rotates clockwise; upon leaving the Equator, it is rotating in a counterclockwise direction. They refer to the South Pole with its clockwise rotating field as the positive pole, and the counterclockwise rotation of the field at the North Pole as the negative pole. They indicated that the Earth’s magnetic field rotated in a spiral form at a frequency of about 7 to 8 cycles per second.
Most alternative health practitioners who use magnets also refer to the magnet as having positive and negative poles. Some still refer to magnets as having north and south poles. However, in the BioMagnetic field, the magnet is considered to be negative or positive, depending on whether it is the North or South Pole.
Another concept of how the Earth’s magnetic field rotates and changes its direction is shown in Figure C. This concept, developed by the author, focuses on the effects of the Sun’s magnetic field, which is more than 100 times the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. The Sun also radiates ionic particles. These strong forces cause the Earth’s magnetic field to rotate in a clockwise direction as it emanates from the South Pole of the Earth. Since the initial force of the South Pole is moving downward with a clockwise rotation, the rotating force comes to a halt as this force changes its direction from going south to going north. Somewhere near the Equator, the Sun’s strong magnetic field forces the Earth’s rotating magnetic field to come to a halt and eventually start rotating in a counterclockwise (negative) direction.
Fig. C - The Sun's Effect on the Earth's Magnetic Fields
Magnetism and the human body
According to Norman 0. Becker, M.D. and Gary Selden, authors of several books on the effects of electrical forces on the human body, they indicate that the Earth’s magnetic field rotates in the frequency range of 8 to 14 cycles per second, with an average of about 10 cycles. Is it a coincidence that, at the back of the human’s head (the occipital region), the relaxation alpha rhythms produced by the brain are in the same frequency range of 8 to 14 cycles per second? This frequency varies with relaxation, sleep, etc. Are we not in tune, electrically and magnetically, with the Earth’s magnetic field? Is it a coincidence that following heavy storms, more people with psychiatric problems choose to enter mental institutions?
Do we not feel a sense of comfort when electrical storms subside (and the magnetic forces they create subside) as compared to our feeling of high anxiety as the electrical storms approach? Are we just afraid? Are we sensing (detecting) the strong magnetic radiation from the storms that cause the 8-14 cycle rhythm to shift to other rhythms in the brain, such as to theta waves?
Robert O. Becker, M.D., and other orthopedic surgeons found that electric currents and their fields can increase the healing of reset bones. Instruments capable of providing such healing have been approved by the FDA agency. Dr. Becker is also known for calling attention to the effects on humans of electromagnetic interference from power lines and ordinary home electrical appliances. Although the effects of electric line magnetic fields are rejected by some people, the radiation from power lines and high-powered radio transmitters are known to interfere and may even cause serious hazardous conditions for humans.
Several researchers, such as Robert 0. Becker, M.D. and John Zimmerman, Ph.D., have reported on the fact that exceptional stress on humans may be produced as a result of electromagnetic radiation from magnetic fields. Some of these fields may even be created by television sets, microwave ovens, food mixers and computers. Numerous papers have been written on the effects of magnetism on living tissue. The question is, what does a magnetic field do to the tissue?
Oxygenating human cells
The blood contains approximately 5 mg. of iron. This contributes to the red color in the hemoglobin cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body, and upon returning to the upper right chamber of the heart, it carries disposable carbon dioxide and other non-desirable waste gases. Each cell in the body is a manufacturing site of its own.
It has the facility to convert nutrients into energy; it has a basic communications system for disposing of waste products; and the nucleus controls its characteristics as provided by the parent cells. As the circulating blood approaches each cell, it provides the cell with refurbished energy and oxygen. By placing a magnet on some portion of the body where pain may exist, the magnet attracts the iron in the blood, thus bringing more blood to the area and hence more oxygen. Upon leaving the area, the additional blood removes toxins and other wastes that may accumulate from the cell’s manufacturing process. The magnet, therefore, merely aids the body in healing itself.
The strength of the magnet used, as measured by its Gauss rating, determines the depth of penetration into the body and the number of cells affected by the magnetic field. The magnetic force of the magnet, when applied to the surface of the skin, radiates a smaller number of magnetic fields into the tissue than might take place if the magnet were applied to another piece of iron. Iron provides a better conductive path for the magnetic force (higher permeability) than air or human tissue.
Magnets of various strengths, particularly ceramic magnets, plastiform and neodymium magnets can be placed on various tender spots on the body so as to affect the oxygen transport to the area. The use of magnets has been quite popular in Japan and in Germany. In fact, magnetic therapy is covered by medical insurance in Germany. In the United States, far greater emphasis has been given to the treatment of illnesses through the use of drugs. Penicillin, for example, was seen as an almost complete panacea to all kinds of infections. However, we now see that over usage of this drug has resulted in its having little or no effect on certain types of bacterial infections.
Body acids and alkalis
The body contains both acids and alkalis. On a scale of 0 to 14, strong acids are said to have a pH value in the region of 0 to 5. At a pH of approximately 7, the body is balanced in its amounts of acid and alkali content. In the region of 7 to 9, body fluids are said to be alkaline. Outside of the body, alkalis in the region of 9 to 14 are caustic.
The saliva in the mouth typically indicates a pH level of 6.0 to 7.4. Typical body fluids have a pH in the range of 7 to 7.5. The magnetic fields radiating into body cells are thought to be able to destroy bacterial and fungal infections by increasing the level of alkalinity and lowering the level of acidity. Many disease-causing microorganisms do not fare well in an oxygenated, alkaline environment. Therefore, slightly raising the alkalinity of the body is likely to have an impact on such microorganisms and on other body fluids. The north pole (referred to as the negative electromagnetic field because of the counterclockwise rotation of the Earth’s magnetic field) is thought to improve the cellular buffer (the pH balance) of the cells. Reducing the acidic level in the body helps to increase the level of oxygen to the cells.
A simple experiment can be conducted by placing the north (negative) pole of a magnet against the outside of a 6 to 8-ounce glass filled with water. After approximately 30 minutes, taste the water, and it may be found to have a slight metallic taste. The pH of the water has increased in alkalinity. Making simple measurements, I found that water starting with a pH of 6.8 could be easily increased to 7.3 (an increase in alkalinity) by attaching the negative pole of a single 3,900 Gauss magnet to the outside of the glass of water.
It is felt that consuming one to two glasses of magnetized water helps in bringing into the body additional hydroxyl (OH-) ions. These hydroxyl ions are similar to what the brain produces in times of bodily injury. The additional oxygen helps to produce more energy at body sites where such energy is needed.
A negative magnetic field applied to an area of pain (caused by the swelling of cells, such as cellular edema) results in an excessive level of acidity in the cells. With the additional oxygen carried to the cells, their pH is neutralized and the pain is reduced.
North Pole / South Pole
Throughout this discussion, emphasis has been placed on the use of negative (north pole) magnetic fields. It is thought that the negative field has a sedative effect on the body, whereas the positive (south pole) field has an exciting effect. Albert Davis in his early experiments found that plants germinated in South Pole oriented water grew 10 to 15 percent larger than plants germinated in North Pole water. This is an easy experiment to conduct. My own experiments have indicated a similar effect. Radish seeds, which grow quickly, can be easily experimented with at home or at school. Chicken eggs exposed to South Pole exposure during their growth resulted in chickens that were bigger, more aggressive and not as easily trained as those raised in the presence of the sedative north pole field.
As a result of these various studies, the north pole (negative force) is generally applied to the body where a reduction of pain and healing is desired. As previously indicated, raising the pH of body fluid helps the body in healing some of its problems. Various companies are manufacturing foam pads that spread over a bed mattress. Generally, small ceramic magnets are placed in the pockets of the foam. If only the negative pole faces up, a negative magnetic field penetrates the body as a whole. Generally, few or no magnets are placed above the torso area. The net result of lying on such a mattress pad is that of increasing the exposure to a negative magnetic field for 6 to 8 hours, and this exposure results in an increase of the pH level of body fluids. This provides better rest and healing of the body should some abnormalities exist.
Health practitioners have suggested that magnets should not be used by women who are pregnant and by people who wear electronic pacemakers or automatic internal defibrillators. Magnets should not be placed over the heart or brain except under the guidance and supervision of a medical practitioner trained in the use of magnetic forces. Magnets should also not be placed over the abdomen following meals, since they may interfere with the digestive process.
forces (from the south pole of a magnet) should not be applied except under trained medical supervision. Such forces may produce a seizure, hallucinations, insomnia, or other problems. Since the positive force of the south pole can cause plant seeds to grow bigger and stronger by 10 to 15 percent, they may also have a similar effect on tumors, bacterial infections and cancer.
On a personal note
For more than eight years, it had been recommended that my right knee joint be replaced. From birth, with a bowed right leg, the cartilage in the inner area between the bones was worn away, and hence I was a candidate for a knee replacement. Some had said it should be done; others have said they still have pain after such a replacement. In addition, the replacement may take 4 to 6 weeks of therapy and recovery time. Like so many others, I took 800 mg. of Ibuprofen two or three times daily depending upon the level of pain. The Ibuprofen never completely removed the pain, but maintained it at a livable level. The Ibuprofen can affect the stomach, and I needed an alternative for reducing pain.
For more than two years, I have been walking with two ceramic magnets taped over the areas of knee pain. The magnets were held in place with surgical tape or an Ace bandage. Since applying the magnets (negative pole only), I have not required any anti-inflammatory drugs, Tylenol or aspirin. I have been able to walk through the airport gates and baggage rooms as well as other areas without the use of a cane. The magnets do not completely remove the pain, but again, neither did Ibuprofen.
Conclusion
There are many alternative therapy practitioners, some of whom work with magnets. My own experience with magnets has been most positive, and I have recommended them to my friends. While magnets have not yet been approved by the FDA, there are a sufficient number of users reporting positive results in the reduction of pain as a result of using the magnets. Several major universities are experimenting with magnetic therapy.
Care should be exercised in purchasing bed and chair pads, supports and other paraphernalia said to help the body by means of magnetic forces. Upon examination, some pads were found to have both negative and positive forces alternating throughout the pad. It is convenient for the user, since he or she doesn’t have to know the front from the back of the pad because both sides contain negative and positive forces. I am not sure, however, that this is the best arrangement for the body.
Waistbands made from neoprene may also be fabricated with magnets. Again, the alternation of magnets may not be the best arrangement. In addition, neoprene against the skin causes the body to sweat. This, in turn, may cause a red rash to appear. Materials should be selected that do not cause excessive sweating. Find products that offer adequate body support while at the same time providing the proper magnetic forces.
When used properly, magnets do not seem to have any side effects, since they are non-invasive. For people who have brief periods of dizziness (due to lack of oxygen getting to the brain), care should be exercised in the strength of the magnets used, since more blood would be drawn to the area where the magnet is placed and this might result in a slight decrease in blood flow to other parts of the body, including the brain.
While medical doctors who are not trained in BioMagnetics may consider the use of magnets as "snake oil,” there are an adequate number of alternative health practitioners who do have experience and can refer to numerous cases that have observed significant improvement in body health as a result of applying negative magnetic forces.
The practical use of magnets
All matter, whether it be the Earth, materials that you wear or live in, or your own human body, are made of atoms. Each atom contains positive and negative charges. In view of this, all material is essentially the same except for the number of positive and negative charges within the atoms of the various materials. The human body contains numerous cells made up of atoms. Each cell has its own electric charge. It is this electric charge within the atom that keeps the electrons related to the atom circulating about its own nucleus.
When the north pole (referred to as the “negative terminal”) of a magnet is placed against the body, the cells in the immediate area become more highly charged by the electric field from the magnet. This increased charge causes more oxygen, nutrients and white blood cells to flow into the area. The additional oxygen provides energy to the cells and enables them to fight off bacterial infections, etc.
Morris Tischler is inventor of the pacemaker. His company also authors educational textbooks.
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