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more or less harmful chemicals; or could possibly come from mercury-based and has just about nothing in common with mercury dental fillings —which, according to Friz-Uno sunlight, except that some FSFLs are designed also to emit tiny Johansson, may leak mercury when exposed to magnetic fields."*. amounts of extra UV-B. So citing studies that show the benefits of Since so many electrosensitives get skin reactions, I also natural sunlight in no way proves that FSFL would be healthy, too. wonder if in some cases this may not be a photo-toxic reaction (a To find out if FSFL is better, one must of course use it in one's hypersensitivity to light) that can by caused by some medical studies, and this seems to have been done in quite a substantia conditions,'* by perfume on the skin, and by certain anti- number of cases. However, Jennifer Veitch (National Research inflammatory, anti-depressive and antibiotic medicines’ that can Council, Canada) and Shelley McColl (Department of temporarily make patients so hypersensitive to UV light that they Psychology, McGill University, Montreal), who recently pub- cannot tolerate even the very tiny amount of harmless UV-A that _lished two reviews of the relevant studies made between 1941 ani windows let through or that standard office tubes emit. Since 1999 regarding the effects of FSFL on perception and learning television and computer screens are also light sources (with LCD and on physiology and health, found that a surprisingly large screens often being lit from behind by micro FLs or LEDs) and number of the studies were not properly conducted and conclude since many people use medicines and/or after-shave and skin-care that, with few exceptions, the best studies did not show FSFL to products with perfume and are forced to work in FL all day, could be more beneficial than the light from other common (usually FL) there be a connection? I've also noticed how close to the light sources.” * computer most people sit. If you have a In the very few cases where FSFL really laptop, there isn't much choice, of course; has been found to be very effective, mainly but when the screen is separate, why not on SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and move it back quite a bit onto a separate similar conditions, the same results have later table? You'd never dream of sitting that close to your TV, would you? been achieved with other bright lights, even coloured ones.“ To have an anti-depressive Besides discovering in the 1970s that effect, to "reset the biological clock", etc., it Mercury Vapour seems to be brightness rather than colour or Besides discovering in the 1970s that FL fluorescent tubes spectral distribution that matters. So, early tubes emit radio waves (if not properly emit radio waves studies (e.g., by Rosenthal et al., 1984) that grounded) and low levels of X-rays from the if | compared bright FSFL only with dim con- cathode ends of the tubes, Dr John Ott (i not proper y trols, either fluorescent or incandescent, do claimed that they also leak mercury vapour." grounded) and not prove that FSFL works and other lights This could perhaps also explain why people who have been mercury poisoned by their dental fillings often become hypersensitive to FL, too. If FL tubes still leak mercury vapour, the levels should, however, be significantly lower now, since modern tubes contain so much less mercury (3-5 mg in class I and II, and around 15 mg in class III tubes, according to leading manufacturers) compared with the old class III tubes, which could have as much as 50 mg.” Some of the slim new class II tubes like the Philips TLD also have an extra protective layer on the inside of the tube to pre- don't—only that dim light is insufficient.” They also point out the fact that natural outdoor daylight, even on a cloudy day, may be more than 100 times brighter than the lighting indoors, that its colour temperature may vary between 5,000 K and 10,000 K depending on weather, season and time of day (and latitude, one might add), and that it is also polarised, which FSFL and other artifi- cial lights usually are not.” Unlike myself, however, Veitch and McColl don't believe that lamp type matters much at all, and because fewer than half a dozen of the hundreds of studies that appear to have been done low levels of X-rays from the cathode ends of the tubes, Dr John Ott claimed that they also leak mercury vapour. vent mercury vapour from merging with the glass, since that on the effects of different light sources seem to have included affects the amount of light that gets through.'* Perhaps this also incandescent lights, it is hard for me to "prove" that they are prevents any mercury from leaking out. healthier, other than by logical deduction and so-called anecdotal Incandescent lamps do not contain any mercury at all—only a reports. Since I've started to talk with people about light, I've little bit of lead at the bottom, but that's in a solid form which can- been surprised to find such a large number of individuals who not be inhaled. also prefer incandescent light and report feeling more or less ill or uncomfortable under FL. Tom Entwistle at the bioLight Group Full Spectrum Light (formerly Ott bioLight) says that of the thousands of people Even though I very much agree with most other things in Jacob _ they've interviewed about how they feel about FL tubes, 100% Liberman's Light: Medicine of the Future,” in Joseph Hattersley's said they absolutely hate them!’ However, despite my pointing article about full-spectrum light in NEXUS 8/04,” and in Simon this out, none of the lighting researchers I've talked to has shown Best's article about ADHD in NEXUS 8/06,” and have no trouble _ the least bit of interest in including any kind of incandescent light accepting the possibility that class I FL may be less unhealthy than in their studies! Besides discovering in the 1970s that (if not properly grounded) and low levels of X-rays from the cathode ends of the tubes, Dr John Ott claimed Full Spectrum Light Even though I very much agree with most other things in Jacob Liberman's Light: Medicine of the Future,” in Joseph Hattersley's article about full-spectrum light in NEXUS 8/04,” and in Simon Best's article about ADHD in NEXUS 8/06,” and have no trouble accepting the possibility that class I FL may be less unhealthy than the old class III tubes—especially when used in radiation-shielded fixtures like the Ott bioLight—I do not agree with the opinion that "full spectrum" fluorescent light (FSFL) is the best artificial light there is. Nor with the idea that it is just as healthy as real sunlight and may be used to replace it. FSFL is still fluorescent and Effects of Extra UV-B As for potential health effects from adding a little extra UV-B to indoor lighting, a few of the studies reviewed by McColl and Veitch did seem to indicate a positive effect on the metabolism of 38 + NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2003 fluorescent tubes emit radio waves that they also leak mercury vapour. www.nexusmagazine.com