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We have what we hope is only an unfortunate coincidence occurring amongst
our female staff who have been employed over the last 10 years operating
NMR instruments. Three out of four of them have developed malignant breast
tumours. We are told that there is a 1 in 11, or so, chance of breast
cancer amongst women, and certainly among their age group of approximately
50 years old. However, 3 out of 4 in 10 years is extremely distressing for
them and alarming for us and for the other female staff in the Department.
Obviously, we are taking the best advice available including using a
consultant to check all the medical literature and any other publications
world-wide to see if there has ever been a connection made between stray
fields etc. from magnets of this sort and malignant tumours. None of our
enquiries have yet shown any link. As you know there has been, and
continues to be, a lot of speculation about power lines but very little, if
any, about magnets. It may be that if the questions are asked in isolation
that no one ever draws the strings together. Hopefully there is no link,
and therefore no risk, and that is why we are drawing a blank.
However, my reason for writing to you is to put the question to the people
who may have the answers to this. Is this an isolated coincidence or are
there problems of this sort amongst other female staff working with NMR
instruments, Mass Specs, whole body scanners or any other equipment using
large magnets? Have any of your staff developed breast cancer, and if so
could it be related to any of the above or to anything remotely connected?
Are we looking in the wrong direction? Could it be the materials or
substances handled in these areas?
Would you please let me know if you have any information, even anecdotal,
which could be of help. Even negative information (and hopefully this is
what it will mainly be) will help to put together the whole picture.
Please give me a 100% response as soon as possible. This would be much
appreciated.
Yours sincerely
F.R. Daubney
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I can only recall one previous query on these lines, which produced
negative results, but it would be very helpful if AMMRL members could
respond to this request, either directly to Mr. Daubney
(f.r.daubney@strath.ac.uk) or in the event of any difficulty to me
(g.a.morris@man.ac.uk).
With (muted) season's greetings,
Gareth Morris
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Dr. G.A. Morris g.a.morris@man.ac.uk
Dept. of Chemistry, University of Manchester,
Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK (0) 161 275 4665
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