What the Experts say

Magnetic Water Treatment Demystified

by Dr. Klaus J. Kronenberg, Claremont, CA

Magnetic Treatment of Water and its application to agriculture

Dr. Israel J. Lin and Jacob Yotvat

Microscopic Fuel Tests Using Magnetic Fuel Conditioning

by Dr. Klaus J. Kronenberg, Claremont, CA

Magnetic Neuromedicine an "Attractive" Promise

Frank Adams, MD, FRCPC, DAAPM

Therapeutic Magnetism in Veterinary Practice

Drs.D.C. and M. Laycock

Magnet Therapy:  Lifting the Burden of Diabetic Pain

Dr. Michael Weintraub  

Magnetic Water Treatment De-Mystified

by Dr. Klaus J. Kronenberg Claremont, CA

Dr.Klaus J. Kronenberg has a long background in the field of magnetism. He is a Doctor of Physics from the University of Cottingen, Germany. He also earned a Doctor of Natural Sciences from the Technical University, Clausthal, Germany, where he did his Thesis: “Aging and Stabilization of Permanent Magnets“ He was connected with Deutsche Edelstahl Werke, Krefeld Germany, where he worked on permanent Magnet-Precipitate in Alnico 5 shown by Electron Microscopy. Upon arrival in the United States, he worked for Indiana Steel Products Co., Valparasio, IN on the Development of Crystal-Oriented Barium Ferrite. Then he went on to General Dynamics, Pomona, CA, where he invented Permanent Magnet Bearings. Among the many awards and recognitions he has received are: Special Award from Alexander von Homboldt-Stiftkung, Bonn, Germany and Guest Professorship from the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany [Study of Samarium Cobalt]. Recently, he served as an Associate Professor at California State University, Pomona, CA.   His Magnetic Water Studies were done with Fluid Magnetics Corp., Dinuba, CA

Are the Waters of the East Different from the Waters of the West?
Slowly, but steadily, physical treatments of water with magnetic fields become known and accepted in the Western World. They have been utilized since about 25 years in many countries of the Eastern World, the USSR and Mainland China for instance. There, hundreds of success- reports have been published, most of them admitting the lack of a fully satisfying scientific explanation. These papers describe - often in great detail - the observation of reduced formation of hard lime scale, the elimination of old lime scale deposits, accelerated plant growth, desalination of soils, improvement of concrete, better cleaning, faster drying, better taste and smell of drinking water, changes of freezing modes, beneficial effects on patients with kidney stones, and minute changes in some physical constants of the water, such as viscosity, IR absorption, surface tension, to name just a few.
Many of these reports are authored by scientific teams of universities or government agencies, describing years of experimentation and subsequent routine applications in larger forms. Resulting savings in the use of chemicals, of energy, and of equipment are substantial, according to these reports.
But
Contradicting these descriptions originating from Eastern countries are a number of reports of tests and checks by teams working in countries of the West. No change of the water was found by magnetic treatment according to some of these reports. Some of these evaluations concede to find some effects when long-time observations were made.
In a number of States within the USA magnetic water treatment has officially been declared to be a hoax or its advertisement has been outlawed to be fraudulent.
How can such discrepancies of opinion exist for tens of years in our small and supposedly communicative, scientific world?
A number of reasons for different opinions are caused by a number of obvious differences in the circumstances prevailing in the respective countries, for instance:

The peoples of the Western world insist to be able to understand what they are doing or using. Theoretically unexplained processes have the stigma of black magic or superstition.

The West is used to and takes for granted the unrestricted availability of chemicals for all purposes in reliable quality and purchasing price which is not so in many countries of the East.

The Russians do not have a particularly good reputation in matters of research on water after the disaster of the claim by Deryagin to have found the “Polywater“ in the 1960's (The history of this scientific misfiring is well presented in FELIX FRANK'S booklet Polywater, the MIT Press Cambridge, MA. 1981).

The Free-Enterprise system permits anybody to take advantage of potentially fast profits with wild claims about an important item, such as water. Many partially informed or irresponsible sales-people give the entire issue a bad name by false promises, such as “No need for chemicals!“ The Correct statement would be: “Chemicals become more effective in magnetically treated water, so that one needs chemicals in reduced amounts.“

What is Magnetic Water Treatment?

(As described by Russian papers)
A number of conditions are given in the Russian papers about the details of their experiences; here are a few:

The water to be treated has to move across magnetic fields not stronger than 1000 to 2000 Oersted.

 For a certain flow-velocity the effect is a maximum.

It usually works better for water of a lower temperature.

Some small changes of the physical constants of the water last only for a few minutes.

The capability of the water to prevent formation of hard lime scale may last for up to 2 days.

Instead of forming hard lime scale (“Slake“) clinging to the walls of the container, the calcium carbonate of magnetically treated water forms a soft sludge (“Shlam“), flowing with the water.

Reliable observations of the effects of the magnetic treatment require several weeks. Many attempts of faster results have not always been conclusive.

The magnetically treated water is able to dissolve formerly deposited lime scale.

Soil can be de-salinated.

Harvests are significantly improved in quantity and quality.

Our own Experiments and Observations

Prospects.
Confronted with the challenging discrepancy between 400+ computer references of papers from the East and a score of opposing, critical surveys from Western countries, we probed into the matter experimentally. We had the facilities of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, at our disposal, where the author has been teaching Physics for 10 years, and acoustics just at this time. The author had been working in materials research for most of his professional life, permanent magnetism and crystallography being his specialities. He was familiar with the many unsolved puzzles of water by his early works as a physics student in Cottingen, Germany.

Why is there lime scale?
The formation of hard lime scale at the container walls by the CaCO3 content of water is a consequence of the scarcity of nucleation centers in ordinary water. When the concentration of the CaCO3 exceeds the solubility, the solidification can begin only at appropriate starting points most of the time at foreign matter. If no foreign matter is present in the form of particles in the liquid, solidification can start only at the walls of the container. Ordinary water tends to surround any foreign particulate with complexes of 100 to 200 water molecules each. The water molecules agglomerate around every foreign particle in ordinary water. They form cages around them which makes them ineffective as nuclei. Then, the container walls are the only non-water substances available. The resulting crystals are of the dendritic mode. They are characterized by few starting points attached firmly to the wall and extended systems of crystals clinging to one another and to the wall around the starting point. The dendritic crystallization mode is the initiation of the formation of hard lime scale which, if further solidification of the mineral occurs, grows layer over layer on the first set of dendrites.

Early detection of lime scale.
Microscopic observation of the beginning of crystallization in the form of dendrites reveals the tendency for scale formation immediately. We placed drops of water on glass slides and permitted the water to evaporate under observation with magnifications from 50 to 400 times. The microscope was equipped with polarizer and analyzer in order to improve the contrast for the optically active CaCO3 crystals. We compared drops of ordinary water as it came from the tap with drops of the same water after it had passed through magnetic fields; the drops were evaporating side by side on the same glass slide under identical conditions.

Magnetic effects?
The area formerly covered with the water is now covered with a lattice of thin dendritic crystals, the rim of the drop is studded with a number of thick, strongly light-polarizing dendritic crystals which had grown each from one point at the glass on the periphery of the drop. These crystals were firmly attached to the glass of the slide; they fractured if one attempted to dislocate them with a microscopic needle. This entire drop periphery contained 124 such prominent crystal systems.
The entire drop circumference contained 41 such crystals. So: The number of these crystals which had grown on the glass was reduced by about two thirds by the magnetic treatment of this water. The effectivity of the treatment with respect to reduction of such glass-attached crystals was therefore 67%. Assuming that these crystals are the start of scale formation, the magnetic treatment would have had an effectivity of 67%.

An economical quantitative method.
This simple method of comparing the microscopic crystal count without and with the magnetic treatment permits within hours a quantitative estimate of the effectivity of the treatment with regard to scale reduction. The counting is greatly facilitated by the fact that in a circular water drop on a glass slide, almost the entire mineral matter solidifies at the outer circumference of the drop. This was found to be caused by a convection within every circular drop of evaporating water. This convection is caused by the evaporation cooling at the surface of the drop; it transports the heavier substances within the drop radially from the center to the outer perimeter of the drop where they become concentrated and solidified. Furthermore, after counting all crystals of the entire perimeter of many drops it was found that the distribution of the crystals along the perimeter is even enough that the crystal count within a section of only 1/12 of the entire drop is usually representative for the entire drop.
With this straight forward and economical working scheme we investigated the effectivity of magnetic fields for various flow velocities, for various numbers of magnets, for different pole arrangements and for different waters.

First findings.
The relationship between effectivity and flow velocity had in almost all cases a maximum for one velocity. The plot of the values had the shapes of resonance curves. Variations of the distances between the magnets confirmed the relation between the flow velocity and the sequence of the fields crossed by the water, as indicated by the two curves.

Magnetic arrangement.
Hundreds of field arrangements have been tested with a number of different water types. Maximum effectivity was achieved with arrangements where the fields originated from simple, ring-shaped permanent magnets of barium ferrite of a medium grade. The arrangement was granted a US Patent in 1981. By “tuning“ such a device to a certain water velocity the effectivity of such a device could be brought close to 100% with 8 ring-magnets. Water which contains a large amount of admixtures shows additional effects if it passes repeatedly through a magnetic device. The admixed algicides, bactericides, and softening chemicals produce an extended dendritic crystallization over the entire area of the evaporated drop.
The formerly hidden foreign particle becomes available to the over concentrated calcium carbonate, so that the dissolved calcium carbonate diffuses to this particle equally from all sides simultaneously. So, the typical circular disk shape of a seeded crystal appears. If the effectivity of the magnetic treatment was high, no calcium carbonate needs to wait to diffuse to the container wall in order to solidify. Therefore reduction of the hard scale formation can be understood as an internal seeding effect in the magnetically treated water.

Entropy/Energy
Skeptics might doubt this process to be possible because the former mixture of liquid water and liquid calcium carbonate is being turned into liquid water and separated, solid calcium carbonate. This unmixing means a lowering of the entropy of the system. Any entropy lowering requires the expense of energy which cannot come from the permanent magnets. The needed energy can only be delivered by the kinetic energy of the flowing water. For this reason, no effect can be expected if the water does not move.

Can this process also accomplish the often doubted claim of removal of formerly deposited hard lime scale?
Having no restriction for the solidification of the calcium carbonate thel iquid water is soon depleted of dissolved calcium carbonate. Having some of the large cage-clusters in pieces the depleted water is particularly active (reduced viscosity and surface tension). If the water streams passed calcium deposits, it replenishes its calcium carbonate content by dissolving stationary solid calcium carbonate. It may be mentioned here, that in many cases of rather thick deposits, the dissolving does not precede piecemeal from the outer layer, as the customary acid washes do. The magnetically treated water rather weakens the bond between the wall and the calcium carbonate, so that the scale breaks off in rather large pieces from the walls on which they had grown. This dissolving process may take several days or even weeks. But under advantageous circumstances only hours may be required to loosen old, hard deposits and render them removable.

Can water have a memory?
According to many reports of success, the water retains its capability of reducing scale for up to 2 days. Critical comments try to make this fact appear to be absurd by calling it a “memory“ of the water for its “magnetic experience.“ We realize that the treated water has its specific scale reducing capability as long as its calcium carbonate is in the solid form of the inert micro crystals.
We have investigated these crystals with high magnification for many different waters and varied treatments. Using the interference colors of the polarized light the thickness of the disk-shaped crystals can be estimated to be from 0.1p. to 2.4p. (About 4 times the wavelength of red light).

Transformation in the solid state.
With hundreds of evaporated drops of different waters under continuous observation before and after various treatments, it is one of the most astounding findings that these dry, seemingly immobile crystals, sitting on the glass slides, keep changing their mode for weeks in their solid state.
Most significant is the transformation of the disk-shaped circular crystal platelets. After about 20 hours they develop holes in their centers and some of their matter turns into thin needles bundled up at the location of the disk. The disk-shape is a meta-stable crystal form of calcium carbonate; it transforms into the more stable form of acicular crystals within days. These needle-shaped crystals then dissolve also, most of them last only 2 or 3 days. That is the reason for the fact that the scale-reducing properties of the treated water last for 2 days only.

For more research.
Many questions remain for more investigations. The influence of temperature has not been investigated as yet. It can only be assumed to be of essence according to Russian reports. Also, the type of the water from different sources seems to be of importance. Some mountain spring waters require particularly well adjusted magnet sequences in order to be effective. According to findings by geologists about the type of mountain water coming from narrow spaces of defect structures within mineral deposits, such water may have formed only few complexes of a specific size. Therefore the required resonance is a narrow one and therefore difficult to achieve.

The effectivity of the magnetic treatment may also be influenced by certain mineral contents of the water - such as silicates - which appear to interfere with the magnetic treatment.
Freshly fallen rainwater did not show much effect from the magnetic treatment. It has been found to contain as many seeded disc-shaped crystals as water after the magnetic treatment! It is believed that the raindrops passing on their way down through the electric fields of the clouds may undergo a sort of natural treatment with electric fields.

The actual physical changes of the water.
Another wide open field of questions remains to be investigated; that are the short-lived effects of magnetic fields on the physical constants of the water. These effects are so minute that their measurements are beset with uncertainties. Yet their effects for the usefulness of the water are often of great importance, as for instance the surface tension which determines many parameters of the water quality. A number of experiences are reported from many sides, and some of our own observations with respect to these changes in the physical structure of liquid water will be mentioned in the next section.

Learning more about liquid water.
Assuming that the interactions between magnetic fields and moving water are of the nature which are here proposed, the study of magnetic water treatment opens new avenues for the study of the structure of liquid water. So far, no systematic study has been attempted of this issue. Nobody doubts the overwhelming importance of the use of water for virtually every human endeavour, yet there is no correlation which could oversee all the many separate researches into water by the various users. (In the 6 volumes of his comprehensive treatise “WATER,“ Felix Franks decries this fact and has tried in his lifetime to change this lack of concerted effort.) The magnetic water treatment issue might be one way to make the few known facts of the physical structure of water more generally available. One important step in this respect is that the general public learns that there are fundamental problems with the physical structure of water.
At this time, even the more sophisticated users and investigators of water think most of the time only in chemical terms of the water. Almost without exception, “testing of water“ is considered a chemical analysis. Understanding the nature of the magnetic treatment of water as to be only a phase-change of some components of the water, it is evident that any chemical analysis of the water before and after the treatment cannot possibly show a change. The magnetic treatment does not actually add or remove anything from the water. A standard chemical analysis brings all the substances into an all over dissolved state, thusly undoing the effects of the magnetic treatment. Many negative test results have been published because of this exclusively chemical thinking.
Again, it has to be said that many of these misconceptions have their origin in the misrepresentation of the method by insufficiently trained sales personnel. They try to compare the effects of the magnetic devices with softening chemicals or ion exchangers. So, the water users are disappointed and consider the entire issue a swindle.

What are the Consequences for Future Water Usage For Industries?
Simple magnetic treatment units with their best effectivity at a fixed water flow rate serve with advantage in such installations which require a constant flow rate. The size of the treatment unit can be selected to fit the exact requirement of the machinery.
Very small units may serve in drip irrigation at every separate outlet with one gallon/hour flow rate, or a larger unit may be used for the entire irrigation system. Ice machines, solar panel, steam cleaners may have a precisely fitted magnetic unit permanently built in. Without it they would plug up within a few weeks of use and would have then to be washed out with acid to remove the accumulated hard lime scale. The built-in magnetic units keep these machines running for many months without an acid wash.
In the case of steam cleaners, an additional benefit results from the lessened surface tension of the magnetically treated water. Oral, unpublished reports of increased cleaning power of detergents confirm the microscopically found change of the water-detergent mixture. Instead of the drop circumference which is usually well defined by the surface tension, the treated water wets the glass surface much better improving the activity of the added detergent.
Another potential application of magnetic water treatment has been looked into for the oil industry. The fossil water which comes up with the oil is extremely heavy with minerals. Its separation from the oil and subsequent replacement under ground can be facilitated by magnetic treatment.
Some preliminary investigation (non-published) was successful for one narrow range of flow rate. The massive dendritic crystal growth has been replaced with a multitude of small, rectangular crystals. Much further investigation is needed to reap the potential benefits from magnetic water treatment for a number of problems of the oil industry. As for instance a better separation of the oil from the water.

Magnetic Treatment of Water and its application to agriculture - Lin

By Dr. Israel J. Lin and Jacob Yotvat, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
In controlled large-scale field experiments it was found that magnetic treatment affects the quality of irrigation water. It was shown that treated water contributes to an increase in farm yields in crop farming, yield being expressed in quantity and quality of the produce añd in the specific economic contribution. The level of return in individual farms depends on three key factors: the type of equipment, the water quality, and the mode of operation of the apparatus. In this work reference is made to the principles of the method, the range of possible applications in agriculture, and a report on field observations.
Sporadic references can be found in professional and popular literature to exposure of irrigation water to external force fields (mechanical, hydraulic, ultrasonic, electric, magnetic) with descriptions of resulting improvement in field—crop yields— vegetables, fruits, etc.
As regards magnetic treatment, it was reported in use in Eastern Block countries like U.S.S.R. and China [1,2], and to have proved effective for a wide range of crops. Hitherto, however, no systematic examination of the phenomenon was attempted; there were no publications on the underlying principle or mechanisms, nor was any commercial equipment offered in the West for controlled treatment of irrigation water.
Five years ago, following infrastructure studies, a research program was drawn up and a large scale series of field experiments was initiated, with a view to examining the effect of this treatment on agricultural yields in Israel. Original equipment was devised, several models were constructed on the basis of comprehensive complexes, 14 experimental sites were established at agricultural settlements (privately owned and collective farmsteads),and the program was launched. A limited number of prototypes were adopted selectively for examining the effectiveness of short—term exposure of drinking and irrigation water, with the apparatus installed upstream and the water delivered for consumption by livestock and crops downstream.
Water is a cardinal factor in crop farming, involving a wide range of aspects:

Quality and quantity; constituents (solutes, suspensoids) and the mode of their presence.

Mode of delivery; type of irrigation system (with or without inclusion of fertilizer in the stream).

 Irrigation schedule; distribution of the water in the soil, mode of penetration and migration.

 Use of sensors and regulatory devices, with a view to control of the mass—transfer rate in the porous medium (soil) and for delivery of the water at the appropriate location and time.

 Information management, automation.

Purification pretreatment (filtration, ion exchange, RO, hydrocycloning, etc).

Controlled quality and delivery of the water made for improved crop yields. It is common knowledge that irrigation played a strategic role in the on—going process of evolution and in the development of civilization, and is the cornerstone of all agrarian planning. As a “universal” fluid substance, it has unique properties and a specific structure directly related to the hydrogen bond. The two hydrogens and the single oxygen are arranged non— rectilinearly, with a bond angle of 104.5 degrees. The abnormal physical properties of water include [31:

Negative volume change during fusion.

Maximum specific gravity at 4 degrees C.

Minimum isothermal compression at 46 degrees C.

Multiple polymorphism.

High dielectric constant, surface tension and dissolution capacity.

Fusion and boiling points relatively high for a non-metallic, non ionic material with a relatively low molecular weight.

High mobility of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions.

The irrigation regime is of paramount importance in that it determines the availability of water and nutrients (in terms of dosage, distribution and loses), improves crop yields (in terms of quantity, quality and uniformity), and regulates soil aeration. For example, subsurface dripping has the following advantages:

Reduced evaporation loss and reduced mineral accumulation of the surface.

No surface runoff; no danger of accidental damage by animals or machinery.

Absorption variability over the surface —irrelevant.

Negligible effect of temperature on uniformity of distribution.

Vertical percolation controllable through timing.

Reduced wear of piping.

The objective here is increased yields, improved quality, and higher utilization efficiency of the irrigation water. The proposed magnetic treatment of irrigation and drinking water is intended for exactly the same purposes.
The treatment is essentially physical, and its intensity increases with the rate of flow (up to a certain limit) and with the electric conductivity of the water. In view of the latter, it is suitable for fresh water and all the more so, for effluents and saline water. For satisfactory performance, the following measures are mandatory:

(a) Suspensoids must be removed by filtration — especiallyferromagnets, which adhere to the magnet and may cause clogging and distortion of the magnetic field.
(b) The size of the apparatus must be adapted to the envisaged consumption level.
(c) The apparatus must be installed vertically.
(d) Periodic maintenance must include direct and back-flushing.

The treatment is applied upstream, near the point of delivery to the soil, and is suitable for the various modes of irrigation:- surface and subsurface dripping, mobile sprinkler, spray, and flood lines.
Efficient and continuous performance is effected hydraulically, hence the magnet remains serviceable for many years. This is important, as the service life of the apparatus should be of the same order as that of the other system components (refer to Table 1). Servicing requirements are minimal, and so is the annual per-unit-plot expenditure on the capital investment.

FIELD FINDINGS

General data on application of the treatment in local livestock and crop farming were first published in 1988 [4,5]. Below is a brief summary of the findings at Kibbutz Gvat.

(a) Vegetable garden (July—August 1985) Continuous bed—type plots, treated plots 6m shorter than their control counterparts. Identical dosage and quality of irrigation water and fertilizers. Results summarized in Table 2.
Main effects:

Earlier ripening and superior yields (quantity & quality) in treated plots.

Lettuce: marked difference in plant size, uniformity and growth period.

Melons: (not included in report)

Squash: continued production and growth in treated plot after control plot began to show signs of drying.

(b) Industrial tomatoes (summer 1988, harvesting August)
Main results summarized in Tables 3 & 4.

(c) Sweet corn (harvesting August 1988) Results summarized in Table 5. Yield extremely satisfactory in terms of quality & quantity. Ear length, diameter (husked), and average weight larger (11%) in treated plot.

Further experiments are in progress on cotton, grapefruit, melons and tomatoes - with soil, water quality, and climate (location and season) as variables [67]
DISCUSSION
Future availability of water for Israel’s agriculture is problematic, because of depletion of the present sources and the imbalance between consumption and developmentof new ones, with the attendant cumulative deficit. Reduced availability is especially likely with regard to high-quality water, hence the importance of physical treatment. The plans of the Israel Water Planning Authority and Water Commission for the early, 21st century envisage an annual consumption level of 1300 million m3, including 400-500 million in effluents. An increase proportion of effluents and saline water, with the dissolved electrolytes providing higher electric conductivity, is actually an advantage from the viewpoint of magnetic treatment.
 
In developing the proposed technology, emphasis was placed on basic magnetochemical and magneto-hydro- dynamic principles, with a view to engineering-wise and optimization of the equipment. Design prerequisites are as follows:

Maintenance of suitable (laminar) flow regime.

Compatibility with given conductivity range and types of solutes.

Appropriate relative orientation of magnetic field and flow.

 Appropriate range of magnetic field intensities and gradients.

Comprehensive design of special magnetic circuits.

Appropriate permissibe water and ambient temperature ranges.

 Prevention of other electromagnetic effects in the vicinity of the apparatus.

Appropriate choice of construction materials.

Appropriate modes of assembly, installation and maintenance (general and preventive).

Similar results were observed in animals and in plants, indicating similarity of principles and mechanisms in both cases. Some of these parallels are summarized in Table 6.

Table 6 - Comparitive Effects, Animals and Plants

In addition to the magnetic treatment being a production factor, it should be evaluated in the context of its suitability for a wide range of distinct crops in different agri-climatic environments. In the era of modern agriculture, it is natural to consider the contribution level of the proposed process against the background of the sophisticated techniques of intensive farming. The processed medium being water, the process is intended not as a substitute but rather as a reinforcement for the conventional means of increasing yields and improving qualityat lower cost- the last name feature being a sine qua non for world-wide competitiveness.

CONCLUSION

In the present research project, the preliminary feasibility study has been successfully completed, and intensive field work is in progress in an attempt to prove the proposed technology over a wide range of application and conditions (soil, climate, water quality, crops, etc.); evaluated the main parameters governing the effectiveness of the apparatus; reduce the farmer’s risk while perfecting the equip­ment; achieve overall optimization of the magnetic circuit, engineering-wise and operationally; and, finallydetermine the cost benefit indices.
The proposed treatment is a technological contribution to modern industrialized agriculture, and isthe outcome of initiative and innovation the part of the inventors and of the collaborators whose farmsteads served as sites of development and centers of demonstration. The magnetic apparatus should be regarded as a production tool alongside the other elements:
irrigation equipment, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, nursery equipment, plastic covering, hydroponic beds, etc., which are the principal factors (not counting labor) in reaching new peaks of quality and quantity. It will be the farmer who shall eventually decide, in the light of the above description and of the field evidence, whether the proposed process is to be included in the “technological package” available here today.

REFERENCES

[1] K. Syers, Magnetic water, NZ farmer, No. 4 (1983), 24-25.
[2] E.P. Klynev, Device for magnetic treatment of irrigation water, SU pat.# 1217788 (USSR), March 15, 1986 [C.A.:104 (26)2302l9y]
[3] F.H. Stillinger, Water revisited, Science 209 No. 4455 (1980), 451 -457.
[4] I.J. Lin, Yotvat, and S. Nakiv, In-vivo bioeffects of magnetically treated water, Internal Rep. (1988), 25pp.
[5] I.J. Lin and J. Yotvat, Electro-magnetic treatment of drinking and irrigation water, Water & Irrigation Rev.,8 No. 4 (1988), 16-18.
[6] M. Harari, and I.J. Em, Water exposed to magnetic treatment - muskmelon growing, Water & Irrigation, No. 269 (1989), 43-50.
[7] I.J. Lin & J. Yotvat, Exposure irrigation and drinking water to magnetic field, J. Magn. 4 Mag. Water., 83 (1990), 525-526.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Sincere thanks are due to our collaborators at the agricultural settlements, who undertook to participate in the pioneering project with tireless devotion, and without, it would have been doomed to failure.
Acknowledgment is due to Messrs. R. Cafri and Z. Yotvat, Elir-Advanced Technologies Ltd., P.O. Box 480, Kiryat Motzkin, for their help with the publication of this material.
For further information, contact: I.J. Lin, Department of Mineral Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.

Microscopic Fuel Tests Using Magnetic Fuel Conditioning

by Dr. Klaus J. Kronenberg (1991)
After 45 years of experience as a physicist, studying magnetics, acoustics and crystallography, Dr. Klaus Kronenberg, in conjunction with other Research efforts, has developed an exciting new theory of magnetic fluid treatment.
Investigations and results
Empty glass slides were held for several seconds in the exhaust stream of a V-8 gasoline engine using leaded gasoline running at 2000 rpm.  

Fig.1 No Treatment. The droplets at highest magnification show a spherical structureless shape.
All slides exposed to the exhaust without Magnetic Treatment showed a multitude of small droplets clinging to the glass. They were distributed over the entire glass slide at even distances. They did not evaporate over days. Their shape became visible in the microscope using polarized light.



Fig.2 No Treatment. Remains of a solid particle from the exhaust which bounced off the glass slide.
Figure 2 is an example of a shapeless bit of matter clinging to the glass. About 10 such places were found with similar shapeless matter on the glass

Fig.3 Exhaust of Magnetically Treated Fuel.One of the round spots found on the glass slide exposed to exhaust from Magnetically Treated gasoline.

The slides which had been exposed to the exhaust when the magnetic device was in place on the fuel supply line were also full of the small droplets, but additional material was discovered clinging to the glass. This material formed roundish spots, about 10 to 30 per slide. The details of the round spots were most visible when side-illuminated. Many contained a black particle in them, which was often broken up. All the rims  of the round spots were heavily scalloped, exhibiting just enough surface tension to form the roundish appearance of the spot on the glass slide.

Fig.4 Exhaust of Magnetically Treated Fuel. Stronger magnification and side illumination reveals scalloped shape of the rim of this substance (low surface tension indicated).
The side-illumination reveals the scalloped rim of the spot. The traces of the gradual evaporation within the spot are visible and show that the evaporation ended at the particle.
In order to obtain more information about the nature of the material which formed the rounded spots they were observed with polarized light. Within the roundish spots crystalline shapes appeared with a variety of configurations. Most of the shapes were crystals of a dendritic type.
Large numbers of smaller, nearly cubic crystals were also found. All of these crystals are of an optically active material, recognizable on the dark-light contrast within each crystal in the polarized light. The shape of the crystals point toward the crystals having a cubic crystal structure, being most likely a lead compound.
CONCLUSIONS
The consistent results of both test series permit a cautious attempt at explanation. The fact is that the slides covered with exhaust without the magnetic fuel treatment showed only the tiny droplets, but not one single round spot. But, the round spots were found in abundance on the slides from exhaust with magnetic treatment. This makes it almost certain that the magnetic device on the fuel supply line had an effect on the combustion of the fuel in the engine.
The roundish shapes of these spots are evidence of the fact that they must have been splashed onto the glass as a liquid. They must have been in the form of spherical drops in the exhaust. Their sizes imply drops at least 1000 times heavier than the droplets found in the exhaust of the untreated fuel.
The dark particles found inside these roundish spots indicate that a solid particle was transformed in the combustion process partly to a liquid. This could have happened in the form of a partial combustion.
Not one roundish spot of a similar size has been found in the exhaust of untreated fuel. This suggests, that such partial combustion of certain larger particles has not been occurring without the magnetic treatment. In the exhaust of untreated fuel we find instead, evidence of some larger solid particles which have left some formless traces after hitting the glass and flying off. They showed no trace of a liquid by a partial combustion.
The investigated fuel is a mixture of many components containing benzene-like ring-molecules. The refining process - heating in the absence of oxygen - had used the internal vibration of the large molecular sheets to have them break up. The molecular fragments were driven off, collected and separated. Their size determined their ability to resist combustion.
The results of our tests with the application of a number of magnetic poles which the fuel had to pass on the way to the engine can be best understood as an additional effect of fuel refining. We suggest that some larger molecular structures remained in the fuel after the normal refinement process, because they withstood the breakup effect by heat. They were then broken up when they passed through the series of alternating magnetic fields. The magnetic effect on molecules is very weak. But it is known that it can be amplified a million fold in the case of resonance. If the time sequence of the alternate magnetic fields encountered by the streaming fuel hits a frequency of the internal vibration of a molecular structure, then a resonance occurs and may break up the structure which had escaped the breakup by the original refining process. This renders the original refining process more complete.
Therefore, we think we can predict that the effect of magnetic fuel treatment will be best for the least completely refined fuel.
Further research is required in order to confirm the findings. Possible differences for different fuels (Diesel), varied rpm's, and varied arrangements of magnetic fields are being explored.

Magnetic Neuromedicine An "Attractive" Promise

FRANK ADAMS, MD, FRCPC, DAAPM  American Journal of Pain Medicine

MAGNETISM is one of the fundamental forces of nature---a phenomenon known and speculated about, studied and utilized in one manner or other since antiquity. It is most commonly associated with the compass---a direction finder which, in the West, dates from the 13th Century---that revolutionized navigation and pointed the way to the New World. It is a long voyage from the ancient high seas to modern medicine, but recent developments indicate that this ubiquitous force may have a place in the treatment of certain central and peripheral nervous disorders as well. The therapeutic potential suggested by early clinical experiments and speculation might very well lead to the development of a new treatment modality--Magnetic NeuroMedicine--with important implications for pain management.

MAGNETISM is already well established in medicine as an investigative toll of inarguable importance (magnetic resonance imaging or MRI). Less well known is the existence of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). A small circle of investigators, having made extensive use of TMS as a noninvasive method of mapping regional brain activity, has been applying it experimentally to treat such neuropsychiatric disorders as Parkinson's Disease, clinical depression, migraine, and epilepsy (1). Encouraged by early results, clinical researchers unflinchingly proclaim that TMS will be a "neurophyschiatric tool for the 21 St. century" (1), the hyperbole or prescience of this statement to be decided in the crucible of clinical reality.

In the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PAIN MANAGEMENT, Michael Weintraub, MD, using a less sophisticated technique, provides further evidence in support of the magnetism's therapeutic potential. This is a small but impressive pilot study in which patients used garden variety magnets to treat painful symptoms of peripheral neuropathies of multiple origins (2). The project was undertaken because the author was intrigued by the public's embrace of commercially available magnetic devices for the treatment of sore feet, a non conventional medicine approach based upon purely anecdotal reports. But, as the author notes, in 1995, the sales of these devices amounted to $100-million in the US and CANADA, and an estimated 1.2-billion worldwide---an "attractive" venture fueled by mainstream medicine's continuing neglect of pain.
Nonconventional medicine attracts the desperate and often gullible sufferers of orphan conditions. Mainstream medicine equates it with charlatanism and generally dismisses nonconventional methods as unsound and unproven, all too often without any evidence 'for' or "against". In this case, the author resisted that reflexive and unscientific response, and, with a handful of patients and a relatively straightforward methodology, decided to put magnetism--and, indirectly, mainstream medicine, to the test. It is fair to say that magnetism may not be the "antibiotic" of pain medicine, but the surprising and dramatic outcome justifies the author's conclusion that the "...results are exciting and encouraging and warrant further investigation..." which he is undertaking.
Weintraub chose patients with peripheral neuropathies, conditions that are largely intractable, are usually progressive, and are refractive to most conventional therapies. Fourteen patients, eight with diabetic neuropathies (N-DN) were given magnetic foot pad insoles which they were to wear 24 hours a day for up to four months. The investigator used a variety of electrophysciology studies, and the patients utilized visual analogue scales (VAS) twice a day to quantify their pain.
Overall, 64% of the 14 patients showed statistically significant improvement in the paresthesias of numbness and tingling. DN patients had the best response of the two groups, with 75% (6/8) improving, 38% (3/8) completely. The N-DN group had a 50% response rate. VAS scores reflected the changes in decreased pain.
The most significant finding is that peripheral neuropathies are, for the most part, responsive to continuous submaximal magnetic stimulation (CSMS). Additionally, the treatment is relatively inexpensive and has NO side effects, the most disquieting finding was that the conditions returned when treatment was discontinued, suggesting that treatment was symptomatic at best. On balance, however, this therapeutic outcome differs little from that of most pain management modalities which usually relieve but do not eliminate the pathology. The most logical conclusion to be drawn from this small unblinded trial is that CSMS has therapeutic promise which needs to be rigorously and systematically explored.
Weintraub credibly speculates on the biological effects of magnetism on nerve conduction fibers. It is known that the pathophysiology of dysesthesiae involves the unmyelimated and myelinated small C-fibers. he theorizes the CSMS selectively recruits C-fibers which, in neuropathic pain, are inhibited by the large A-delta fibers.
Anticonvulsants are also believed to act on C-fibers by affecting the voltage-dependent sodium or calcium channels. This raises the question as to whether combination magnetic-pharmacological treatment in cases where monotherapy by either method is not effective could be considered a viable therapeutic option. The attractiveness of combination therapy is enhanced by the author's speculation that magnetism improves blood flow. This contributes to a milieu in which opioids and the proliferation of opoid receptors tend to flourish. It is not a quantum leap in reasoning to envisage some pain treatments based upon, "magnetic-pharmacology".
The author uses the term neuro-protective to describe the effects of CSMA. Whether that was operative in these patients is not clear, especially if it is meant to imply retardation or prevention of the disorder's progression. NEURO-PROTECTION is an important concept, and further research is warranted if for no other reason than to see if CSMA not only delays progression of peripheral nerve damage but whether, as in the case of some toxic cancer chemotherapy's, can prevent it.
Vincristine, for example, is a highly effective chemotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphocyte leukemia (ALL). But its notorious peripheral nerve toxicity is the major dose-limiting factor, preventing more effective treatment. If truly NEURO-PROTECTIVE, CSMS would dramatically alter ALL therapy.
The public market for magnet devices for painful conditions is robust, even--or especially--without medicine's tacit approval. Magnetic steel balls are marketed for arthritis and fibromyalgia. there are even magnetic mattress pads for sore backs. It is intriguing to think how much more effectively these conditions might be treated with magnetized garments (eg, corsets, gloves, neck collars, socks) designed to be worn all or most of the time--the constant exposure an important condition the author tells us.
The study is not isolated or idiosyncratic example of magnetism's possible therapeutic value. It is one of a number of impressive clinical experiences to demonstrate this force's positive biological activity (1). TMS, earlier referred to in the experimental treatment of neurological disorders has been used to stimulate the cerebellar vermis to demonstrate its function in the control of saccadic eye movements (3). Could this same laser precision magnetic probe someday become the magic bullet to the thalamus, the putative storm center of pain? TMS and magnitised boots may represent the high and low tech cousins, respectively, of a dynamic force spectrum.
And finally, the development of an electromagnetic approach to provide pain relief would not only add another treatment modality, but would help the youthful science and practice of pain management grow by broadening its armamentarium and horizons. It is a field still riven with internecine struggles (4-7), with specialties trumpeting ideologies over science, each claiming exclusivity to a complex clinical disorder which more often than not, defeats our best efforts. We grow, and our patients ultimately benefit when we are able to transcend our petty bickering in favor of the larger issue. Another treatment option is a welcome addition to the family, and the ability to embrace, incorporate, and nurture any new idea is a sign of intellectual and clinical maturity. Let the magnetic force be with us
*****
Frank Adams, MD, FRCPC, DAAPM, is a neuropharmacologist who is in private practice in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He has been chief of pain services at major cancer centers in the United States and Canada. Dr. Adams is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, is a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management, and is Associate Professor, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.
 REFERENCES
1. George MS, Wasserman, EM, Post RM. Transcranial magnetic stimulation: a neuropsychiatric tool for the 21st Century.
2. Weintraub MI. Chronic submaximal magnetic stimulation in peripheral neuropathy. American Journal of Pain Management, 1998.
3. Hashimoto M, Ohtsuka K. Transcranial magnetic stimulation over the posterior cerebellum during visually guided saccades in man. BRAIN, 1995.
4. ADAMS F. Recommendations for clinical guidelines for pharmacotherapy of intractable pain of cancerous and nocancerous etiology. American Journal of Pain Management, 1995.
5. Shealy, CN. A response to recommendations for clinical guidelines for pharmacotherapy of intractable pain of cancerous and noncancerous etiology. American Journal of pain Management, 1995.
6. Zimmerman SJ. The use of narcotics in nonmalignant pain (letter). American Journal of Pain Management, 1995.
7. Washburn, TC. The use of narcotics in nonmalignant pain (letter). American Journal of Pain Management, 1995.

Therapeutic Magnetism in Veterinary Practice

 By:  Drs.  D.C. and M. Laycock
======================================
1. Introduction
2. Interaction Mechanisms

    a) measuring field strength
    b) static fields
    c) the question of polarity

 3. Veterinary Use

    a) animal experiments

 4. Clinical Research

    a) Peripheral vascular diseases
    b) Heart disease
    c) Neurological diseases
    d) Rheumatoid diseases and orthopaedics
    e) Dermatology
    f) Surgical implications
    g) Cancer
    h) Other areas of research

 5. Conclusions

NOTE: Abbreviations used

 MT -  Magnetic therapy
PMT - Pulsed magnetic therapy
MRI – Magnetic  resonance Imaging

======================================

Introduction

 Often having been regarded as 'fringe medicine' magnetic therapy is gaining increasing attention from the medical world. Predominantly its  use had been in the field of orthopaedics. This primarily related to the use of magnetic fields to fracture union .
 However, criticism was raised that research lacked rigour and that controlled, double blind trials were needed to justify the claims made for its efficacy. There is evidence  that this has been addressed, and a number of papers have been published as a result. For example, Sharrard has presented the results of a double blind trial carried out on  clinical and radiologically identified cases of delayed union. The research, carried out at the Royal Hallamshire hospital, Sheffield, records that significant results were achieved using pulsed magnetic therapy .
 Taking a broader approach to its use in orthopaedics, Trock  was among those investigating the successful application of PMF for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and cervical spine .
 Increasing research began to appear from Japan in the late 1950's. Interest in magnetic therapy had been encouraged as it became apparent that it had the potential to be an invaluable tool in a much wider range of clinical applications. There were a number of medical congresses on magnetism, with three focusing on magnetic Fields and living bodies held between 1974 and 1976. Lightwood (1989) referred to the successful use of pulsed magnetic therapy in the following instances:

a) circulatory disease of lower limbs
b) oedema
c) bronchial oedema
d) pain relief
e) deep vein thromboses
f) dental pain

 Research continues in the U.K, France, China, Canada, Japan and the USA, where as recently as 1970, the American government began funding new research at Florida State University.   In Eastern bloc countries, the position was different.   Studies have investigated the effect of magnetic fields on a wide range of conditions including asthma, heart failure and cancers .
These studies show evidence of alleviation of symptoms, particularly when used in conjunction with other treatment regimes such as drugs and physical therapy .
Magnetic therapy has been used widely due to its low cost in times of financial restraint and ease of application at a time of increasing locomotor disease. Furthermore, the treatment is well tolerated by patients of all ages .
 Changes in political climate have enhanced communication and dissemination of information, so that details of this research are now becoming available to the western world. There is a wealth of data now available and this report can give only a brief outline of the research undertaken .

 Properties of Magnetic Fields

There are 3 types of magnetic field:

a) sinusoidal
b) pulsed
c) static .

 All three types have been employed in carrying out clinical investigations, with a number of studies comparing the efficacy of static and pulsed fields .
Sinusoidal fields have also been included in trials .

 Sinusoidal field

This type of field rises and falls about a zero point. It is produced by an AC current through a solenoid. In essence, as  the current increases and decreases with each change in direction of flow, so the field rises and falls, and the polarity reverses.  In actual fact, the field is more related to the shape of the waveform applied to the coil.  The coil modifies the waveform to generate a field that is not a true sinusoidal field .

 Pulsed Magnetic field

This type of field is switched on and off at a base frequency rate (i.e . 50Hz or 200Hz).  It is supplied with a square waveform signal.(see fig 2a.) Again, the coil modifies the waveform and gives out a pulsing magnetic field which follows a saw tooth type pattern.(see fig 2b.) Pulsing of this base frequency at rates of say 5 to 25 times a second allows the field to be switched on and off in 'packages'. This pulsing of the  base frequency has differing biological effects depending upon the rate.

 Static field

This can emanate from a permanent magnet or be produced by a coil carrying a D.C. current. The field's intensity depends on the magnitude of the current through the coil  or, in the case of a permanent magnet, the density of the material and the degree of alignment of the domains .
 Interaction Mechanisms  Experiments into medical applications of magnetic therapy have been shown to include:

a) an analgesic effect
b) resolution of soft tissue damage
c) enhancement of fracture union .

In each case, this is due to interactions between the magnetic field and tissue at the cellular level. An insight into these mechanisms was discussed in more detail in a paper published in the OCPPP journal (Laycock 1996) On the basis of further research it is now possible to look at this at the sub atomic level .
 Three  categories of action have been identified.(Jerabek 1996) Firstly, electro-magnetic induction is produced. This is the key mechanism for interactions between magnetic fields and tissue. This can be viewed as essentially the same as any electro-magnetic induction process in that charged particles (cations and anions) are caused to move by an inducing field thus causing a flow of current. This applies to both pulsed and static fields, the mechanism for this being relative movement between field and tissue. This is of greater significance with a pulsed field than with a static field. (Special consideration of static fields is given later.)  The other two features of interactions are of lesser importance in considering biological effects .

 a) Specific molecules(diamagnetic and paramagnetic molecules) may change their orientation due to the applied field. This effect applies principally to static fields and is of lesser importance .
 b) At the subatomic level, magnetic fields can have an influence on spin states of  electrons .

 Measuring Magnetic Field Strength

Tesla - This is the largest unit. This strength is not commonly used in medicine .
Gauss (1G=10-4 tesla) - A great deal of research is operating in ranges of 100G or less .
Picotesla (One p = 10-12 T or 10-8G) - This measurement is commonly used for very low emission devices. Experiments with this strength have been predominantly in the area of neurology .

 Static Fields

Cellular effects of static fields in terms of induction are principally due to interactions caused by:
a) bodily movement between the static magnet and biological tissue .
b) blood flow- venous, arterial and capillary flow
c) thermal agitation of cells within the area of the applied field
The amount of relative movement in a) and b) are of lower intensity than those of pulsed fields. In terms of c, the amount of vibration due to heat is at a microscopic scale, although the frequency may be higher. If comparison is made between the effect of a pulsed field as against a static field of similar intensity, the effect of the static magnet will, therefore, be much lower. It is necessary to have a far more intense field over a longer period of time for static fields to be effective .
 The initial advantage of a pulsed field is that the frequency can be pre-set to get the optimum effect for a specific condition by a combination of base frequency and pulsating frequency. However, static fields provide a 'fix and forget' form of therapy; static which may be left on the injury for a prolonged period of time. This allows the slower interaction to take effect .

 The Question of Polarity

The field emanating from a static magnet will follow the easiest path, flowing from North to South.  The actual magnetic flux does not change in character in its transit. The difference within the field pattern is that of intensity .
In free space, its density exterior to the magnet itself will be highest at the poles, the two being equal since what leaves at the north is exactly equal to that entering at the south. There is no net outflow from the system, hence the name static .
Where magnetic material is placed exterior to the magnet, but within the field pattern, the flux will take the easiest path and be distorted to pass through that material on its way back to the magnet's south pole. Biological material placed in the field will see different directions of flow, depending on the orientation of the field at that point.  Thus cellular material will be subjected to a flow in one direction as the field enters the material, but the reverse as it leaves. So both polarities will be seen to exist. The argument for North or South pole having differing effects for different conditions is difficult to comprehend since the only change in the nature of the field is its density, regardless of the direction of flow .
A number of claims have been made regarding the different actions of north versus south poles of magnets in relation to therapy. Some reports have suggested that the north pole of a magnet has antibiotic properties, while the south pole has energy giving properties. However, after consideration of a significant range of scientific reports and analysis of research presented at the First World Congress in Magnetotherapy (1996) it was concluded that, with few exceptions, there was no firm evidence to support the idea that polarity is of specific significance .

Veterinary Use

The use of magnetic therapy with animals is accepted by many trainers, animal therapists and some veterinary surgeons. Here too, its use is primarily to enhance fracture union, for other orthopaedic problems such as sprains, ligament injuries and  for soft tissue injuries. Magnetic therapy has been recommended over other methods for relieving a range of equine problems.(Bromley 1993) It is its effectiveness at enhancing and accelerating the healing process in this type of injury that has made magnetic therapy so popular with trainers and owners in the equine and greyhound field .
 As in clinical medicine, the idea of using magnetic therapy for other conditions is less recognised. However, if the equipment is in the hands of a trained professional, able to select an appropriate method (pulsed or static), duration of treatment and frequency, magnetic therapy can help to improve other conditions including enhancing the absorption of nutrients and improvement of blood flow. Cases are recorded where magnetic therapy used in conjunction with other conventional treatments can bring about recovery, whereas conventional medical treatments alone had been ineffective.(Scott 1995)  In the sphere of research, there is a long history of, and wide range of, animal experimentation. In a number of cases, these experiments often confirm, in more controlled conditions, the main effects seen in clinical practice. Such experiments  are, however, more frequently conducted with a view to advancing human medicine  than veterinary medicine, with unfortunate consequences for the subjects .
Animal experiments constantly prompt the question of whether the results can with certainty be extrapolated to humans, and vice versa. There are cases where animals are able to tolerate without adverse effect some treatments which humans cannot .
Equally there are instances where the reverse is true .

Animal Experiments

Considerable experiments using animals have been carried out both in the East and in the West. These have made a vast contribution to research, particularly in aspects which could not be easily undertaken with human volunteers due to questions of  ethics.  Research was also carried out using healthy animals to help clarify important parameters such as optimum flux density, frequency and treatment times (Toprotsev and Taranov  1982) Short duration treatments were therapeutic, while long exposure could have adverse effects in some instances. They also carried out comparative experiments with the conclusion that pulsed magnetic fields were the most effective .
 Animal experiments also made significant contributions to identifying the effects of magnetic fields on biochemistry, immune responses, infectious diseases, cancer and reproductive functions. The majority of studies on reproduction showed that there were no adverse effects. Pafkova (1992) found no higher incidence of mortality or malformation in chick embryos exposed to MF. However, in one case rats suffered a higher rate of mortality. The significance of this was thought to be due to a long exposure at a rate of 90 minutes daily over a 4 month period .
 Despite the fact that it is generally recommended that magnetic therapy is contra-indicated in cases of cancer, animal research has been carried out on experimental tumours. Trials indicate that tumours have been caused to shrink. This effect has been seen both for pulsed therapy (Zakharyuta 1987) and magnets .

Clinical research

This covers a very wide scope, particularly with the input from Eastern Europe. It had been known from the 1940's that magnetic fields were thought to influence the cellular membrane. This lead to the concept that PEMF accelerated the re-establishment of normal potentials. (Sansaverino 1980) Warnke suggested that magnetism could cause hyperpolarisation of synaptic membranes, resulting in pain control. Biochemical reactions, again at the cellular level, due to magnetic fields could be the mechanism for enhanced fracture union. (Madronero 1990) Increasing research has supported these ideas, and has also indicated that magnetic therapy can bring about an improvement over a wide range of conditions.

a) Peripheral Vascular Disease
Conditions investigated include oedema, ischaemia and stroke. Oedema has many causes, and many parts of the body may be affected. Pulsed magnetic therapy has been shown to reduce oedema. The re- establishment of normal potentials in the cell helps reduced edema and is therefore of benefit in many soft tissue injuries .
 A comparison of static and sinusoidal fields applied to atherosclerotic and endarteritis obliterans was carried out by Demetski and Kartashov. Best results were from sinusoidal fields, up to 66% improvement was achieved which lasted up to 10 months afterwards. There was evidence of improved circulation. Static field also produced improvement of up to 60%. A study of over 3,000 patients was carried out by Detlavs et al comparing efficacy of static and pulsed fields. A total of 30 exposures, each of 10 minutes were applied .
 Results showed increase in number of capillaries after just a single treatemt .
Hypocoagulation was also achieved. Other work included Benda and Dipoldova (1986 - 1990) - effects of MF on ischaemic disorders of limbs due to diabetes mellttus .
 b) Heart disease
Improved blood flow benefits patients suffering from heart disease and from hypertension. Kirichenko found some improvement in these conditions. The frequency of angina attacks were reduced by 57% when patients were given 15 minutes MT on alternate days (Ezhova). In each of these experiments the total number of treatments was 12 or below .
 c) Neurological Diseases
A vast range of conditions can be covered under the heading of neurology, including migraine, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis and parkinsons disease .
Valentovna (1987, 1990) used PMT to see if the latter could be improved. Significant results were achieved with 94% of patients reporting general improvement. Up to 12 treatments each of 20 minutes were given at a frequency of 25Hz. MS patients were also treated, but in this case single exposures of 10 minutes were given to the thorasic and lumbar spine and to the lower limbs .
While some improvement was noted, most work in the field of MS and Parkinsons has been carried  by Sandyk using picotesla devices .
 Some progress  has been made in investigating the use of magnetic therapy to generate nerve growth, although still in its early stages. It has been found that 20 minutes daily exposure at 2Hz can stimulate up to 35% increase in neurite growth in culture  (Sisken) More recently, neurite growth in rats has been stimulated using pulsed magnetic therapy.(Walker) The rats had crushed sciatic nerves, but after treatment no functional difference was apparent, however the experiment needs to be repeated on a larger scale to be of statistical significance .
 d) Rheumatoid diseases and orthopaedics
Research into the use of magnetic therapy in fracture repair has possibly encouraged research into this field more extensively than others. Both static and pulsed have been used in trials. Pabst et al found that the use of magnetic foil proved superior to other standard treatments for minor muscular injuries and secondary tendonyosis, with statistically significant results achieved in 10 days. In connection with spinal injuries, pulsed treatment reduced pain and spasm. It was also noted that PMT did not exhibit any placebo effect. (Valentova)  There is considerable interest in the use of magnetic therapy to prevent or reverse osteoporosis. Pulsed magnetic therapy promotes the healing of frctures by stimulating the small piezo-electric currents which naturally occur in the bone and encourage the ormation of bone. Tests have shown that bone density can be increased significantly compared to controls (approx 8% in test group against 0.8% of controls) (Haas 1993) Patients in both groups were given 30 treatments of 45 minutes over 8 to 12 weeks supplemented by vitamins, oestrogen and calcium .
 e) Dermatology
Both static and pulsed fields have been applied to treat a range of skin conditions. Tretyakova found that PMF was superior to conventional ointment .
Fifty patients with atopic eczema were treated at 50Hz for 10 minutes daily .
By the end of the experiment all were improved, with 30 being completely symptom free. The controls treated with conventional ointments  had deteriorated. Pulsed treatment has frequently given rapid results often after only a couple of treatments. A double blind trial is now under way to treat leprosy patients. (Coulton)
f) Surgical Implications
Building on earlier animal experiments, Nikolski applied static fields to patients immediately after spinal surgery. Most patients had pain relief within a few days  of the operation. The rate of healing was accelerated, there was less oedema. No complications of infection occurred, but did in the control group) and as an bonus,  there was a tendency to hypocoagulation. This reduced the risk of deep vein thrombosis and avoided the need for anticoagulation therapy .
 g) Cancer  Research with animals has suggested that regression can occur if treated with magnetic fields. Much of the research has been carried out using static magnets. Field strengths used were above 4,000 gauss. Philpott claims that fast growing melanomas can be reversed, but that constant application over several months is required using solid state magnets of greater than 2,000 G. He suggests that as cancers are very vascular, they would have a reduction of nutrients due to the vaso-constricting effect of the field. However, clinicians still suggest that treatment is contra-indicated. Not all research into tumours has been confirmed by biopsy , and, as a safety measure, if a negative effect has been observed in even a single experiment then such treatment is considered inappropriate pending further investigation .
 h) Other Areas of Research

Many other medical disciplines are, and have been, involved in research .
While improvements in the condition have arisen, common features of the disease process  are often present, such as oedema, inflammation and infection. Time does not allow  for detailed information of each investigation. A mention of some of the areas, such as gynaecology, burns, opthalmology, immunology and paediatrics gives an indication of the scale. A world conference is now held on an annual basis to allow for dissemination of the latest findings, both for and against .

 CONCLUSIONS

Magnetism already plays a significant role in medicine with the development of MRI scanners now used as a diagnostic tool.  The range and depth of research carried  out world wide justifies its consideration for use in treatment. It is not a cure all, but can be used to supplement other forms of conventional treatment, whether this be drug related, surgical intervention or some form of physical therapy .
 Correctly used it can accelerate the healing process. Research has to be carefully evaluated. Some trials have been too small scale in scale to be of statistical significance yet  merit repetition in order to confirm or repute their conclusions. While there are still some experiments carried out which need to be repeated under carefully controlled conditions, many have been repeated with a sound scientific approach. Although some results are subjective, based on patient feedback, many others use clinical tools such as Xray reports and biopsy to confirm results.  For example, Haas confirmed improved bone density by scans taken pre-trial then at 3, 6 and 12 months .

 Main recommendations

Clinicians have determined a number of important factors to consider, especially in relation to patient safety .

A.   When selecting the type of equipment to be used to produce the magnetic field, it is  important to consider the strength of the field .
 B. Weak fields are therapeutic, very strong fields can cause damage .
 C. Frequency is important. With PMF different frequencies have different biological effects. For example, pain control requires 200Hz base frequency.
 D. There are two areas to consider: Duration of each treatment session can be as  little as 10 minutes. Ten to fifteen treatments in total are usually sufficient to bring about an improvement. Cases not responding after 30 sessions need to be re-evaluated. Inappropriate frequency may have been used, or the problem may not be appropriate for this type of therapy. Bone is the exception to the rule, it requires longer  treatment intervals over a longer duration. Fracture healing may be not be initiated until treatment has been given for a month .
 E.  In certain conditions, careful choice should be made in selecting the area for treatment  For example, to treat thrombophlebitis it is better to expose the complete limb rather than concentrating treatment purely on the inflamed area. In some cases  ischaemia, the corresponding spinal segment should be treated as well as local exposure. Guidance should be obtained from a qualified practitioner .
 F. Time varying magnetic fields generally have a better effect than static, especially in chronic conditions .
 G. There is no firm evidence to support claims that the north pole of a static magnet has greater effect in therapy than a south pole .
 H. Contra-indications.  In cases of pregnancy and presence of tumours, magnetic therapy is not generally recommended, despite the trials which indicate that no adverse effects arose. ( see above notes) Trials into treatment of cancer continue and it may be that certain types of cancer will be appropriate for treatment this way.

Magnet Therapy:  Lifting the Burden of Diabetic Pain

By Dr. Michael Weintraub  

Diabetes affects more than 15 million Americans, and more than half of them develop diabetic neuropathy as a result. Neuropathy can cause extreme pain in the feet and limbs, making the slightest movement excruciating.  

But thanks to Dr. Michael Weintraub, a neurologist at Phelps Memorial Hospital near New York City, patients who thought they would never feel better have had success using an experimental treatment – magnet therapy.  

After just six weeks of wearing magnetic insoles, many patients got relief from foot pain – some for the first time in their lives.  Below are answers to questions Dr. Weintraub is commonly asked about magnet therapy.  

What is magnet therapy?

Magnet therapy is based on the belief that applying magnets to certain parts of the body can reduce pain and speed healing.  Magnets, by nature, push and pull matter, and some believe this same force can affect how our bodies heal and sense pain.  Although some preliminary studies suggest that magnet therapy can indeed decrease pain, just how it works remains unclear.  

How can magnets help diabetic nerve pain?  Are they a permanent cure?

This is not a permanent cure but appears to significantly help the firing pattern of the peripheral nerve.  We need additional studies with biopsies to see if the therapy encourages nerve cell re-growth.

Will any magnet work?

The magnets I use with my patients are commercially available “450-475 gaussian strength” magnets with a two-inch penetration consisting of multipolar arrays.  All magnets are not the same and manufacturers advertise their products without significant scientific data.  We are currently doing a study testing to see if this very popular design is effective in relieving pain.  Since these are very weak, they must be worn for 24 hour periods.  The earliest improvement was noted at 14 days, but it did not relieve the pain totally until a few weeks later.  It is unclear if any of the other varieties (i.e. unipolar, bipolar) will work, since rigorous scientific testing has not bee done.

 Where do I place them?

There are different perspectives regarding where on the body magnets should be placed.  Some researchers say it’s best to apply magnets directly to the painful area, while others believe it’s more effective to place them on the “trigger-point” of the pain (which could be another part of the body altogether).

 What are the risks or side effects of magnet therapy?

There are no know risks, but the use of magnets during pregnancy or while wearing a pacemaker may be problematic.  Likewise, as a precaution we exclude individuals from magnet therapy if their spouses have a mechanic device or pump so as to guard against inadvertent contact, etc.

 How do I know if I am a candidate for magnet therapy?

Many people seem to end up trying magnet therapy as a result of other unsuccessful experiences with conventional treatments for pain.  Since there don’t seem to be any side effects associated with using magnets, just about anyone can try them.

 Will my doctor believe this is a legitimate treatment for my pain?

The therapy is still considered experimental by mainstream medicine, but this is also a very exciting period and we hope to have the first definitive trial of permanent magnetic devices completed shortly.  If this is positive, it will represent a paradigm shift in the treatment and management of diabetic neuropathy and will open up the door for future trials to see if it can prevent the emergency of foot ulcers, which produce 100,000 amputations per year, and also see if wearing these devices prophylactically can prevent the emergence of diabetic neuropathy.

How much does magnet therapy cost?  Will my insurance pay for it?

Insurance does not pay for these devices, which are available commercially and vary in prices, quality, etc.  Therapeutic magnets, depending on what they’re used for, can run anywhere from $25 for small ones to hundred of dollars for magnet-filled mattress pads and other products.  If you want to spend money on these products, know that all magnets are not created equal and you should carefully consider them before making a purchase! 

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