2

The History of

Bioelectromagnetism

2.1

Introduction ........................................................................................ 21

2.2

Discovery and First Step in Bioelectromagnetism ........................22

2.3

Development of Bioelectromagnetism ............................................26

Development of Electricity • Development of Bioelectricity

• Pioneers of Electricity in Japan

2.4

Development of Electric and Electromagnetic Stimulations.......42

Efect of Electricity on Plant Growth • Electric and Electromagnetic

Stimulations

2.5

Progress of Bioelectromagnetism in the Twentieth Century ...... 52

Bioelectricity • Biomagnetism • Others • New Instrumental Era

2.6

Research on Biological and Health Efects of

Tsukasa Shigemitsu

Electromagnetic Fields.......................................................................75

Static Fields • Extremely Low-Frequency Fields

• Radiofrequency Fields

Shoogo Ueno

2.7

Conclusion ...........................................................................................88

Acknowledgments..........................................................................................89

Masamichi Kato

References........................................................................................................89

2.1 Introduction

Te bioelectromagnetism has been gradually developed, as seen from the document on the electric fsh

in ancient Egyptian mural, through the book De Magnete by Sir William Gilbert, the discovery of ani­

mal electricity by Luigi Galvani, the experiment of the connection between electricity and magnetism

by Hans Cristian Oersted, the induction law by Michael Faraday, the electromagnetic theory by James

Clerk Maxwell, the medical applications of high-frequency electric current proposed by Nikola Tesla

and Jacques Arsène d’Arsonval, the study of biological and health hazard efects from exposures to elec­

tromagnetic felds, to the interaction between electromagnetic felds and living systems.

Before the seventeenth century, the science of electricity and magnetism was the natural magic. At

the beginning of the seventeenth century, Gilbert published De Magnete. Tis book opened the era of

modern science. Te eighteenth century was an important period for basic and scientifc developments

of electricity and magnetism as a basis for bioelectromagnetism. Te nineteenth century was greatly

important in producing advances for the understanding of the biology behind bioelectromagnetism. In

the twentieth century, the scientifc achievements gained great progress in bioelectromagnetism.

Te history of bioelectromagnetism is very much equivalent to the history of electromagnetism.

Te instruments for detection and measurement based on electromagnetic phenomena gradually

developed. Te developed equipment can measure electric or magnetic signals in living systems. It

allows us to research the behavior of tissue at cellular and organic levels. Because the research that

DOI: 10.1201/9781003181354-2

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