Message-Id: <l03102803b027ee9bbb56@[153.90.236.25]>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 19:48:33 -0700
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: Steven Eiger <eiger@montana.edu>
Burt, As you probably know, all cells have electrical fields across their
membranes which surround them, transport epithelia also have fields across
them and when a muscle contracts, an electric field shanges which can be
measure, eg. an EKG or a myogram or even an eeg - a field which changes
across the brain. Fields are studied intensively. Many diseases are a
result of problems with the molecular channels imbedded in the membranes of
cells which result in improper maintainance of the resting field or faulty
changes in the field which are used in signalling. The measured points of
low electrical resistance are due to large nodes of nerves just under the
skin. I have helped in a very minor way someone develop a device to find
those points, which coincide with many acupuncture points.
Your bringing up the immune system and the history of its
understanding underlines some important points. It is finally explainable
in terms of the physics and chemistry we know about. It was difficult to
unravel, and it is only partly ;understood now, because it is so damn
complicated and also it manages to specifically recognize millions of
epitopes with only a handful of genes due to genetic recombination which I
think Tonegawa worked out. It was probably also more difficult as you
suggested due to its being spread throughout the body and indeed the gut
components are only now being apppreciated, but there were a lot of
problems. I can not write to you very much due to my schedle, but it
sounds like you are reading some alternative literature or net materials.
You might also spend some time with "western", or non-conspiratory
approaches. It sounds like you have a very strong scientific background.
Presently, I teach cell physiology in a medical school and have also taught
physics and some other things, but in the sixties I spent most of my time
doing Yoga, etc. I have found that the cliche "reality is stranger than
fiction" often applies, and that the scientific explanation of our bodies
is often quite satisfying in many ways. If I can suggest a book, let me
know. I can also send you some materials on membrane potentials and things
which I happen to teach if you send me an address. Eiger