1939-02-27: Wilhelm Reich: Thank you for your help in determining the radiation
Submitted by esaruoho on June 11, 2009 - 18:26
Dear Dr. Bon,
I am very grateful that you have agreed to help me determine the radiation. I would like to give you as a preliminary guide some of the main observations that have been made since my first letter to you.
1. The cultures fill the room in which they are located with a strange something that, after approximately ten to forty minutes, depending on the individual, is experienced as a curious heaviness.
2. They penetrate the packaging of X-ray films, cardboard covers, thin wooden boards.
3. The most remarkable thing is that the unknown factor X travels around corners -- that is, passes through cracks to reach the films wrapped in lead. Probably it does not pass through the lead itself. Animals such as mice and guinea pigs react with obvious restlessness after a few minutes in the presence of whatever it is.
4. In an extremely mysterious way, my oscillograph ceased to function, and some batteries standing in the same room lost more of their charge than is usual under normal circumstances. The negative pole lost more charge than the positive. Some phenomena observed at the oscillograph led me to assume that a positively charged emanation is involved (I know that this is not the correct terminology). Inside a Faraday cage, X-ray films did not react as well or did not react at all compared with the same films in a nonscreened laboratory.
5. Persons with strong body electricity, particularly at the palms of their hands, unmistakably detect something like an electric aura when the hand is held approximately 1-2 cm away from the copper wire wall of the Faraday cage.
6. The damage caused to the eyes when using the microscope has been confirmed. A few days ago, I worked for two hours using a single-tube microscope, attempting to photograph the visible radiations. Only the right eye, with which I was looking into the microscope, hurt afterward and flt strained.
7. There is no doubt that the radiation can be seen under the microscope. I distinguished it from light reflexes by removing the reflex mirror as well as the iris diaphragm. The radiation maintained its directionality and moved with the rhythm of the bion movement. I observed this at a magnification of 2,000x to 3,000x with dark-field illumination.
8. There has been repeated confirmation of the prickling on the skin and erythema.
There is now no doubt about the fact that radiation does exist. I myself cannot determine or measure the type of radiation. This is a matter for physical radiation institutes to deal with, but I am extremely worried that, since conventional scientific theory makes a sharp distinction between life and nonlife, the fact that living organisms were obtained from lifeless minerals and that these living organisms are radioactive will be thought shocking. I do not know how to get around this problem. I do not wish for a second time to become the target of another highly upsetting campaign against my work of the kind that raged from a whole year in Norway after the publication of my bion book. If you could help me solve these questions, I would be extremely grateful to you.
I am very grateful that you have agreed to help me determine the radiation. I would like to give you as a preliminary guide some of the main observations that have been made since my first letter to you.
1. The cultures fill the room in which they are located with a strange something that, after approximately ten to forty minutes, depending on the individual, is experienced as a curious heaviness.
2. They penetrate the packaging of X-ray films, cardboard covers, thin wooden boards.
3. The most remarkable thing is that the unknown factor X travels around corners -- that is, passes through cracks to reach the films wrapped in lead. Probably it does not pass through the lead itself. Animals such as mice and guinea pigs react with obvious restlessness after a few minutes in the presence of whatever it is.
4. In an extremely mysterious way, my oscillograph ceased to function, and some batteries standing in the same room lost more of their charge than is usual under normal circumstances. The negative pole lost more charge than the positive. Some phenomena observed at the oscillograph led me to assume that a positively charged emanation is involved (I know that this is not the correct terminology). Inside a Faraday cage, X-ray films did not react as well or did not react at all compared with the same films in a nonscreened laboratory.
5. Persons with strong body electricity, particularly at the palms of their hands, unmistakably detect something like an electric aura when the hand is held approximately 1-2 cm away from the copper wire wall of the Faraday cage.
6. The damage caused to the eyes when using the microscope has been confirmed. A few days ago, I worked for two hours using a single-tube microscope, attempting to photograph the visible radiations. Only the right eye, with which I was looking into the microscope, hurt afterward and flt strained.
7. There is no doubt that the radiation can be seen under the microscope. I distinguished it from light reflexes by removing the reflex mirror as well as the iris diaphragm. The radiation maintained its directionality and moved with the rhythm of the bion movement. I observed this at a magnification of 2,000x to 3,000x with dark-field illumination.
8. There has been repeated confirmation of the prickling on the skin and erythema.
There is now no doubt about the fact that radiation does exist. I myself cannot determine or measure the type of radiation. This is a matter for physical radiation institutes to deal with, but I am extremely worried that, since conventional scientific theory makes a sharp distinction between life and nonlife, the fact that living organisms were obtained from lifeless minerals and that these living organisms are radioactive will be thought shocking. I do not know how to get around this problem. I do not wish for a second time to become the target of another highly upsetting campaign against my work of the kind that raged from a whole year in Norway after the publication of my bion book. If you could help me solve these questions, I would be extremely grateful to you.
Effects of Radiation on the Human Body
(1) Hair
The losing of hair quickly and in clumps occurs with radiation exposure at 200 rems or higher.
(2) Brain
Since brain cells do not reproduce, they won't be damaged directly unless the exposure is 5,000 rems or greater. Like the heart, radiation kills nerve cells and small blood vessels, and can cause seizures and immediate death.
(3) Thyroid
The certain body parts are more specifically affected by exposure to different types of radiation sources. The thyroid gland is susceptible to radioactive iodine. In sufficient amounts, radioactive iodine can destroy all or part of the thyroid. By taking potassium iodide, one can reduce the effects of exposure.
(4) Blood System
When a person is exposed to around 100 rems, the blood's lymphocyte cell count will be reduced, leaving the victim more susceptible to infection. This is often refered to as mild radiation sickness. Early symptoms of radiation sickness mimic those of flu and may go unnoticed unless a blood count is done.According to data from Hiroshima and Nagaski, show that symptoms may persist for up to 10 years and may also have an increased long-term risk for leukemia and lymphoma.
(5) Heart
Intense exposure to radioactive material at 1,000 to 5,000 rems would do immediate damage to small blood vessels and probably cause heart failure and death directly.
(6) Gastrointestinal Tract
Radiation damage to the intestinal tract lining will cause nausea, bloody vomiting and diarrhea. This is occurs when the victim's exposure is 200 rems or more. The radiation will begin to destroy the cells in the body that divide rapidly. These including blood, GI tract, reproductive and hair cells, and harms their DNA and RNA of surviving cells.
(7) Reproductive Tract
Because reproductive tract cells divide rapidly, these areas of the body can be damaged at rem levels as low as 200. Long-term, some radiation sickness victims will become sterile. all the effects further