WO1996040362A1 - Field-attenuating articles for protecting against biological interaction with electrostatic fields - Google Patents

Abstract

Studies with mice which have been implanted with cancerous tumors and then exposed to an electrostatic field indicate that an electrostatic field can penetrate biological tissue and influence biological processes on a cellular level. The tumors of mice exposed to an electrostatic field grew faster than the tumors of control mice which where not exposed. Since electrostatic fields are encountered frequently by people, for example when fabrics in clothing rub together, the present invention provides a field-attenuating article which is placed in contact with the body in order to attenuate an electrostatic field before it impinges on a vulnerable portion of the body. Among the field-attenuating articles disclosed are a brassiere with breast cups made from cloth having conductive filaments, a brassiere insert made from foam rubber with conductive particles in it, undershorts and a body suit made from cloth with conductive filaments in it, and a band which is made from cloth with conductive filaments and which has structure for connecting the ends of the band to one another. Other field-attenuating articles that are disclosed include a disposable diaper having a plastic sheet with conductive material deposited on it, and a feminine napkin which likewise has a plastic sheet with conductive material on it.

Description

FIELD-ATTENUATING ARTICLES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST BIOLOGICAL INTERACTION WITH ELECTROSTATIC FIELDS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to field-attenuating articles such as protective garments for minimizing detrimental interaction of electrostatic fields with biological processes of the human body, and particularly to intimately worn field-attenuating articles.

BACKGROUND ART

The possibility that electric fields may be able to interact with biological systems such as the human body in a detrimental fashion, particularly as a carcinogen, has been under increasing study and concern since the late 1970's. Concern that an electric field, interacting with the body, might in some manner influence cellular functions is well founded in the knowledge that every material object on this earth (including the body) owes its existence to electric charges and fields. This was elegantly summarized by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology physics professor, J. R. Zacharias, in his article "Structure of Physical Science", in the magazine Science. Volume 125, pages 427-428 (3-8-57). Professor Zacharias noted: The forces involved are all manifestations of

Coulomb's Law. Like charges repel, and unlike charges attract each other with a force that varies inversely as the square of the distance between them. One may remark here that, in aJl of atomic and molecular physics, in ail solids, liquids, and gases, and in aj| things that involve our relationship with our environment, the only force law, besides gravity, is some manifestation of this simple law. Frictional forces, wind forces, chemical bonds, viscosity, magnetism, the forces that make the wheels of industry go round - all of these are nothing but Coulomb's Law, as simple as the force at work when you pick up a piece of paper with a fountain pen that has been rubbed on your sleeve.

To this point, the major area of concern and study has been exposure to low frequency oscillating electric fields, particularly our 50 to 60 Hertz power distribution system. Research efforts to determine possible biological effects resulting from exposure to oscillating electric fields have increased almost geometrically over the past fifteen years. The result is general agreement that long-term exposure to oscillating electric fields can decrease melatonin production in rodents (however, so can exposure to light during nighttime hours). Beyond this there have been no strong or consistent results observed from exposure to these fields at the power levels at which people normally encounter them, and the research community has divided into two groups; one group believing there may be other significant biological effects from oscillating electric field exposure, and the other group believing there are no significant biological effects at all. Articles in the magazines Science. Volume 258, pages 1724-1725 (12-11-92), and Cancer Watch. Volume 1 , page 139 (9-92) summarize two major studies in this field, and illustrate what is still the current level of dissension among researchers. One of the problems in reconciling the possibility of biological damage from ambient oscillating electric fields (such as those emanating from power lines or appliances), and the realities of physics, is that the strength of such fields decreases significantly as they travel over distance from their source. This means the intensity of such fields to which people are normally exposed is almost always much weaker than the naturally occurring fields they constantly encounter. For example, the earth's natural magnetic field is hundreds of times stronger that the magnetic field that a person would encounter at ground level under a power line. Also, due to the close proximity of the components, the natural electrical activity around cell membranes in a body creates electric fields hundreds of times stronger than those which people normally encounter from power lines or appliances.

Oscillating electric fields are in reality electromagnetic fields, composed of waves of an oscillating electric field component in combination with an oscillating magnetic field perpendicular to the electric field. The magnetic field component of this wave is commonly believed to be the component capable of interacting with a biological system because it can easily penetrate a conductive body (mammals are approximately 60 percent water). The electric field component of both AC and DC fields is commonly believed to be strongly attenuated at the body surface and thus unlikely to produce effects inside the body. It is a well known and an accepted tenet of basic physics that an electric field will be, for all practical purposes, zero in the interior of conductive objects. The book Technical Phvsics. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pages 360-362 (1994), provides a suitable explanation of this phenomenon. In regard to conductive biological systems, respected researchers in the field have, on a theoretical level, predicted that electric fields are reduced to such a degree inward of the surface of a human body that it has been commonly believed that electric fields alone could have little effect inside the body. For example, boundary conditions derived from Maxwell's equations have been used to mathematically predict that an electrostatic field passing inside a living organism is rendered one trillion times smaller inside the organism than the same field outside the organism. Also, the same equations predict that the electric field portion of a 60 Hertz electromagnetic field is rendered 40 billion times smaller inside a living organism than the same field outside the organism (Handbook of Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields. CRC Press, pages 5-9, 1986).

As a result of this common belief concerning abrupt reduction of electric fields at the surface of living organisms, the question of whether electric fields in general, and electrostatic fields in particular, may have biological effects on living organisms has received little attention. Several non-biological effects are known, however, and they have led to techniques for reducing electrostatic fields in certain situations. This will be discussed in more detail later. Electrostatic fields emanate from static electric charges, and these charges are defined in Webster's New World Dictionary. Third College Edition, Simon & Schuster, Inc. (1988), as "designating, of, or producing stationary electrical charges, as those resulting from friction". As those skilled in the art will appreciate, electrostatic charges can be created in several ways, but the most common strong charges are created by the contact and separation of surfaces technically known as triboelectrification (from the Greek tribos, meaning to rub). When two surfaces are brought together, then separated, electrons (or ions) tend to move from one surface and accumulate on the other surface. This leaves both surfaces with an electrical imbalance; one surface with a deficit of electrons and thus a positive electrical charge, and the other surface with an excess of electrons and thus a negative electrical charge. Once created these charges are "static", or stay in place until they are provided with a conductive path to a different electrical potential, or ground, which can place them back in electrical balance, or until they are neutralized in some other manner. Electrostatic fields do not have a magnetic component since the charges producing these fields are not moving. People are commonly subjected to these electrostatic charges, and their attendant fields, in their normal environment everyday. Electrostatic charges occur with almost every movement a person makes. For example, rubbing a shirt sleeve against a shirt, getting up from a chair, walking across a floor. Under conditions of low ambient humidity, these activities can generate charges in the 30,000 volt range; however voltages in the 5,000 to 15,000 volt range are more common. Lower electrostatic voltages are almost always present around a person, even with moderate to high humidity. People don't usually realize these lower electrostatic voltages are present because current is minute during a relatively low-voltage static discharge, when a person touches a doorknob for example, and an electric shock is not felt unless the voltage is above about 3,000 volts.

The undesirable non-biological effects of electrostatic fields include a tendency for a person who walks across a carpet when the humidity is low to receive a minor but annoying shock when he touches a metal object such as a doorknob. It is known that this problem can be reduced by coating the carpet fibers with an antistatic compound or by incorporating conductive particles within the carpet fibers in order to reduce static charge production as the carpet is walked upon. U.S. Patent numbers 4,361 ,611 and 4,490,433 are examples of this technology. Another undesirable non-biological effect is that electrostatic fields may ruin modern electronic components. Some semiconductor devices can be damaged by an electrostatic discharge as low as 30 volts, and as a result the electronics industry is a leader in using the broadest range of electrostatic prevention methods. Since an electrostatic charge created by electronics assembly workers, as they reach across a bench to pick up a component for example, must be dissipated before they touch the component, most Standards in the industry call for charge dissipation from their bodies and clothes in fractions of a second. The Electrostatic Discharge Association, 200 Liberty Plaza, Rhome, New York 13440, an electronics industry association "dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of electrostatic discharge avoidance", has many publications available on electrostatic generation, elimination, and test standards. One known technique for reducing electrostatic damage is to supply conductive work garments, such as lab coats or jump suits, to assembly workers and others who handle sensitive components. In addition, hospital employees use conductive lab coats, etc., to prevent electrostatic sparks in areas where explosive gases are used. U.S. Patent numbers 4,422,483 and 4,590,623 show examples of this technology.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The inventor has discovered that electrostatic fields can, contrary to popular belief, exert significant influence inside a living body. His work to date has focused on accelerated in vivo cancer cell growth from exposure to such fields, and points to the importance of protecting cancer victims from these fields. However, all disease has its genesis at the cellular level, and the fact that the inventor has discovered that an electric field can influence metabolism at that level means it is also important to also protect healthy tissue, particularly tissue in disease susceptible areas, from these fields. Also, in light of the inventor's research, it is quite possible that diseases other than cancer may be worsened by exposure to electrostatic fields, so it is important that particularly the disease area of disease victims be protected from exposure to these fields. As was noted above, in the "Background Art" section of this document, surprisingly high voltages can arise due to electrostatic fields. Moreover, these high voltages are typically created and maintained very close to the body (for example on clothes, chair surfaces, etc.), so field intensity is not greatly reduced by distance from the surface of the body. Also, electrostatic fields typically produce a polarizing force in one direction over long periods of time, as opposed to electromagnetic fields which oscillate in polarity and thus tend to quickly create, then reverse, any polarizing force. Even the weaker electrostatic charges that people encounter can have force fields many times stronger than those of the AC electromagnetic fields normally present in our environment. The strength of these electrostatic fields can be compared to AC fields to which we are exposed by considering measurements made by Professor Frank S. Barnes, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Colorado. Professor Barnes measured the AC electric field existing 30 cm from various appliances and found for example 75 volts from an electric blanket, 12 volts from a hair dryer, and 15 volts from a food mixer. Comparing these field strengths to the field of a common electrostatic charge, say 500 volts, present for hours on a shirt surface 0.01 mm from the chest, gives an appreciation of the polarizing power levels electrostatic fields can present in comparison to the electromagnetic fields in our environment.

The inventor's research indicates that electrostatic fields can pose a strong health hazard. This hazard can be avoided by proper utilization of garments or other items capable of significantly attenuating these fields before they reach the body surface.

The prior art teaches methods of removing electrostatic charges from fabrics to prevent hazard to external objects, but the desirability of preventing electrostatic fields from creating a hazard to the body itself is not recognized or provided for. For example, wearing a conductive lab coat will help disperse charges from the coat but, as the coat rubs over a nonconductive shirt or pants worn under the coat, electrostatic charges are generated on these nonconductive surfaces and part of their fields impinge on the body. Similarly, a conductive jump suit will help disperse charges from the suit surface but, as the suit rubs over a nonconductive bra, T-shirt, panties or undershorts worn under the suit, electrostatic charges are generated on these nonconductive surfaces and part of their fields impinge on the body. Also, for proper protection, it is important that garments of the present invention be worn substantially longer during a person's daily activities than just work hours.

An object of the present invention is to provide inexpensive, comfortable, and non-obtrusive commonly worn garments or other articles which can minimize detrimental effects caused by exposure of the body to electrostatic fields by intercepting and sharply attenuating the fields before they reach the surface of the body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide electrostatic field attenuating garments or other articles which are worn adjacent to body areas particularly susceptible to disease (especially cancer) or genetic damage, such as the breast, chest, abdomen, and pelvic areas for example.

A related object is to provide electrostatic field attenuating garments or bandages which are to be worn adjacent to body areas where tumors have been diagnosed. Still another object of the present invention is to aid disease victims in shielding their body, particularly the disease area, from exposure to electrostatic fields by providing protective coverings capable of attenuating the fields before they reach the body surface.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide intimately worn garments which are electrically conductive to attenuate microwaves and thereby reduce tissue heating which would otherwise occur due to accidental exposure to microwave energy, for example by a defective microwave oven or radar equipment.

These objects, as well as other objects which will become apparent from the discussion that follows are achieved, according to the present invention, by using specially constructed and intimately worn garments or other articles, hereinafter collectively referred to as field-attenuating articles, which shield the wearer's body from electrostatic fields by preventing or minimizing passage of such fields through the articles. Field-attenuating articles in accordance with the present invention may or may not be electrically conductive across their surface, but each field- attenuating article will provide at least one plane or constituent which is capable of transporting electrons (or ions) to thus attenuate electrostatic fields passing through the field-attenuating article to the body. This electron and/or ion transporting plane or constituent will be referred to as a charge-transporting medium, and for the purpose of this application the term "conductive" is intended to mean an ability to move electrons and/or ions in response to an electric field. The charge-transporting medium will overlay at least the body area to be protected, and may be any material, chemical compound, or mixture thereof which permits movement of charge carriers, such as electrons, in response to an impinging electrostatic field. The mobility of the charge carriers in the charge-transporting medium need not be very great, since all that is needed is a resistivity low enough to permit charge carriers to be redistributed in response to an impinging electrostatic field in about half a minute or less, but with response in a few seconds being preferred. The resistivity need not necessarily be as low as in anti-static materials that are commonly used in the electronics industry. It is believed that the charge-transporting medium in a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention may have a surface resistivity as high as about 10¹⁴ Ω/square (or a volume resistivity as high as about 10¹³ Ω-cm) and still perform satisfactorily. Possibly even higher resistivities could be used. Nevertheless a resistivity of about 10¹³ Ω/square or less is preferred in order to permit rapid charge redistribution within the charge- transporting medium. The charge-transporting medium may be the structure of the field-attenuating article itself or, to reduce cost, the charge-transporting medium may be in the form of a spaced pattern, or even individual pieces, incorporated within the field-attenuating article. For each field-attenuating article design, the ability of the finished article to attenuate electrostatic fields, and thus the suitability of the design for its intended use, can (and should) be quickly confirmed with a simple electrostatic field meter and charged cloth or power supply.

The physical mechanisms by which a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention attenuates an impinging electrostatic field are believed to be as follows: Suppose that a small region of an outer garment which overlies a field-attenuating article becomes electrostatically charged. This charge produces a field in the charge-transporting medium of the field-attenuating article, which causes a slight current therein until the charges in the charge-transporting medium are redistributed in response to the charged region of the outer garment. For example, if the charged region of the outer garment has a negative polarity, electrons in the charge-transporting medium will be repelled, providing an excess of electrons at the inner side of the charge-transporting medium and a deficit of electrons at the outer side, allowing the fields of the negative charges on the outer garment to become bound to the resulting positive charge areas of the charge-transporting medium. The excess electrons at the inner side which are not bound to positive charges repel one another, spreading the electrons over a relatively wide area on the inner side of the charge-transporting medium and thereby reducing the electrostatic field strength with respect to that of the charged region of the outer garment. In reality, it is quite possible that more than one small region of the outer garment may become electrostatically charged, or that a large region may be charged to different intensities at different points. Nevertheless, the electrostatic field impinging on the charge-transporting medium will induce a charge redistribution in the medium which will reduce the strength of the field impinging on the body and avoid the exposure to localized regions of high field strength that would otherwise take place.

Furthermore, the charge-transporting medium of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention typically encloses the protected portion of the body to one degree or another. If the charge-transporting medium were perfectly conducting and if it totally enclosed a region, the electrostatic field within the enclosed region would be zero due to the well- known Faraday shielding effect. But even partial enclosure by a less-than- perfect conductor, it is believed, will cause an appreciable field attenuation.

The present invention primarily contemplates intimately worn field- attenuating articles, i.e. wornnext to the body, because this is the optimum point at which to intercept electrostatic fields generated on all other clothing worn before the fields reach the body. Also, locating the charge-transporting medium of a field-attenuating article next to the body allows for design flexibility in operation of the invention. If desired, a field-attenuating article of the invention can form a capacitor with the body if part of the charge-transporting medium of the article is in close proximity to the body. Alternately, the body may be used as an electron sink or source if even a small part of the charge- transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body. In both cases the ability of small field-attenuating articles of the invention to quickly attenuate encroaching electrostatic fields can be enhanced. For example, if a small field- attenuating article, such as a bra according to the invention, cannot provide enough electrons within its charge-transporting medium to quickly attenuate a strong positive electrostatic field impinging on the bra from a shirt surface, a small area of the charge-transporting medium in contact with the body would allow electrons to move from the body surface to supply additional electrons as needed by the charge-transporting medium to attenuate the field. Conversely, with a strong negative electrostatic field impinging on the bra, electrons would be allowed to move from the charge-transporting medium to the body, as needed. Once on the body surface the electrons spread as far apart as possible and thus equalize their charge field to have no effect on the body.

The inventor's research as shown that the present invention is important in regard to cancer; however, it may well be just as important in regard to other diseases. It is now known that more than half, and possibly as much as 80%, of all disease, ranging over such diverse areas as diabetes to cancer, is caused by genetic damage. The human genome in each cell is estimated to contain 100,000 genes connected end-to-end, with the DNA of each constructed of around 3.3 billion base pairs. The specific DNA sequence is duplicated each time the cell divides. The gene damage responsible for disease occurs because of a point mutation, deletion, transiocation or rearrangement in the DNA sequence of normal genes. For example, researchers have found that there can be up to 38 such mutations in the BRCA1 gene, which results in an 85% chance of developing breast cancer. The fact that DNA is assembled and held together by natural electrostatic fields within the cell points to the real possibility that unnatural electrostatic fields exerting influence from sources outside the body may be able to alter the force of the natural electrostatic fields enough to cause a miss, or missed, connection as the DNA strand is assembled.

In the cancer field, despite concentrated research, and even in light of some success in some areas, a larger percentage of our population today contracts cancer, and dies from it, than 20 years ago. For example, a female today is 2.7 times more likely to develop breast cancer than her grandmother was. The incidence is increasing in other body areas as well, even under the reduced levels of smoking and dietary improvements that have occurred. This has prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to speculate that "U.S. residents face a growing cancer risk from some as yet unidentified environmental factors". The inventor's research points to the likelihood that electrostatic fields are at least one of those environmental factors. The problem has been exacerbated over the past 20 years with the steadily increasing use of synthetic fibers in clothes and on other surfaces in our environments. All fabrics can generate electrostatic charges, but popular synthetics like polyester, nylon, acrylics, and polyolefins are much better electrostatic generators than natural fibers. Also, unlike natural fibers, they are hydrophobic and don't wick moisture from skin to provide conductive paths through which electrostatic charges can drain. This helps make these synthetic materials very good electrical insulators which can hold charges on their surface for hours. Also the use of air-conditioning has increased dramatically over the past 20 years and this reduces humidity in the environment and favors the generation and holding of electrostatic charges.

The areas of the human body where cancer incidence is increasing most are almost all areas where two layers of clothes are normally worn. This would further enhance the generation and trapping of electrostatic charges. In breast cancer for instance, almost half of the tumors occur in the upper/outer quadrant of the breast, even though the breast tissue is substantially the same in the other quadrants. This is the exact area where cloth covering the biceps would be expected to occasionally rub the cloth covering the breast and generate electrostatic charges. Once these charges are in place, the primary way in which the charges are drained off or resuced (other than eventual neutralization by air ions) is by moving to the skin through the insulating layers of both the blouse and bra. This typically occurs very slowly, so they are left in place for long periods, with their fields impinging on the breast tissue. If the charges are generated and trapped between the blouse and bra, even ions in the air have a hard time reaching them.

Similar problems occur on many disease-susceptible areas of the human body, and in field-attenuating articles of the present invention provide protection particularly for those areas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brassiere incorporating a charge- transporting medium within or on the weave of the fabric.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a fragmentary portion of fabric illustrating one method of incorporating a chart-transporting medium within a standard fabric weave, the spacing between the filaments being enlarged for clarity.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a fiber in one type of conductive filament.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of one type of brassiere insert providing benefits of the present invention for standard brassieres.

Figure 5 is a cutaway side elevation of the brassiere insert of Figure 4 illustrating charge-transporting elements within the insert.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a detail marked 6 in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a perspective view of undershorts incorporating a charge- transporting medium within or on the weave of the fabric.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a body suit incorporating a charge- transporting medium within or on the weave of the fabric.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one type of disease area cover incorporating a charge-transporting medium.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a diaper incorporating a charge- transporting medium printed on the back sheet. Figure 11 is an enlarged section view of a fragmentary portion of a disposable absorbent field attenuating article incorporating a charge- transporting medium printed on the back sheet.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of one type of feminine napkin incorporating a charge-transporting medium printed on the back sheet. Figure 13 is a flow chart illustrating a process for using a field- attenuating article in accordance with the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention arises from the inventor's discovery that an electrostatic field impinging on a mouse with a cancer increases the growth rate of the cancer. This discovery is a surprising one since, although possible biological effects of electromagnetic fields have received considerable attention, it has been generally assumed heretofore that an electrostatic field cannot penetrate biological tissue due to the electrical conductivity of fluid in the tissue. This assumption is erroneous, as is evident from the inventor's discovery; cancer cells within a mouse could not be affected by an electrostatic field if the field were entirely incapable of penetrating the mouse's tissue. The erroneous assumption was presumably based on a principle of physics known as Gauss' law (which can be used to show that the electric field inside a perfectly conducting object is necessarily zero). The results of the inventor's research do not disprove Gauss' law, of course, but instead make it evident that a living body cannot be viewed conceptually as a perfect conductor. The present invention exploits the inventor's discovery by providing field- attenuating articles, and particularly intimately worn garments with charge- transporting media, to attenuate an electrostatic field before it enters the body so as to reduce the propensity of the field to promote cancer growth therein. Before the field-attenuating articles of the present invention are discussed further, however, the methods and results of the inventor's research in the cancer area will be described.

The inventor's research model has been the B6C3F1 mouse strain recognized by the National Cancer Institute as one Standard for chemotherapy 14 research, and is one of the commonly accepted rodent species used in transplantable tumor studies. For the inventor's studies, female mice were implanted with murine mammary 16/C adenocarcinoma, a commonly accepted tumor for breast cancer research, and the growth rate of the tumors in Control Groups was compared to that of Test Groups which were under the influence of electric fields (up to 11 animals in each Group). Each study was designed to be as uniform as possible. In particular:

(1) All test animals were approximately six weeks old, with a body weight of 17 to 20 grams at the time of implant. (2) Food and water were provided ad libitum throughout each study, and all groups were exposed to the same temperature and light conditions (lights on 12 hours and off 12 hours each day).

(3) Tumor measurements were made either by caliper, using the prolate ellipsoid formula of the National Cancer Institute, or actual weights were taken by removing the tumor mass and weighing to 0.01 gram. The method chosen was used for all animals in each study. Since no existing experimental protocol covers this type of study, the inventor used altered guidelines from the National Cancer Institute's subcutaneously implanted tumor protocols #3C872 and #3CDJ2. In essence, approximately equal-sized tumor fragments were implanted in each mouse's auxiliary region through a puncture in the inguinal region. The tumor growth rate was then compared between groups of Control Animals (no electric field applied) and groups of Test Animals (electric field applied) by measuring, or removing and weighing, the resulting tumors on the Study terminal day (12 to 16 days after the implant). The 16/C murine mammary tumor used is particularly aggressive, and can normally grow from a barely visible, or even invisible, bump under the skin the day after the implant, to 10 to 20 percent of the animal's total body weight by day 14 (tumor size typically up to 4 grams). The tumor size for individual animals on days 12 to 16 varies, but the median tumor size of all groups can be expected to normally be relatively uniform if each Group is set up to contain approximately equivalent numbers of visible tumor sizes the day after the implant. After dividing the Groups into approximately equivalent tumor sizes, a random number generator, or drawing by lot, was used to randomly assign the status of each Group as Control or Test. A Test Group with a median tumor weight 42 percent or more above the Control Group (Test/Control, or T/C), on days 12 to 16, was considered to be demonstrating accelerated tumor growth.

The mice in each Test Group were subjected to electric fields with the use of special cages. Several cage designs were used, depending on the goal of the particular study. All cages were constructed from polyethylene storage boxes, either 19.5 quart "Keepers" boxes from Rubbermaid Corporation, Wouster, OH (#2222), or 66 quart "Clear View" boxes from

Sterilite Corporation, Townsend, MA (#1758) . Other components used in the various cage types will be noted in the following Examples, and include:

(1) Styrene Grid; a 3/8" thick plastic grid with 1/2" open squares (National Home Center, Plaskolite Egg Crate Light Diffuser #74507-

42300).

(2) Hardware Cloth; a 1/4" grid of galvanized #23 gauge wire (G.F. Wright & Wire Company, Worester, MA, #21936-00491-7).

(3) Acrylic Sheet; either 1/8" or 1/4" clear plexiglas (Cope Plastics, Little Rock, AR).

(4) Screen Wire; standard aluminum screen wire (local source).

(5) Aluminum Foil; Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty (local source).

(6) Aluminum Plate; 1/8" thick aluminum sheet (local source).

The inventor's studies have involved many electric field methods. For the sake of brevity, only a few examples as follows are given to point out the large accelerated growth these fields can cause in some cancer cells.

EXAMPLE A

Mice can generate significant electrostatic charges if their fur rubs over a surface. For example, after rubbing the back of mice over six inch square material samples (about a five inch rub path) The inventor has measured charges on various materials of:

Polyethylene Grid, -2,370 volts Glass, -220 volts

Styrene Grid, -1 ,970 volts Aluminum Plate, -100 volts Acrylic Plastic, +1 ,820 volts Hardware Cloth, -230 volts

In each of these examples, by the law of charge conservation, equal but opposite polarity charges were generated on the surface of the animal's fur.

This effect can be used to generate electrostatic charges on the mice as they move around the cages. In one example of this, tumor growth rates in a Control Group of mice in a minimum charge generating cage were compared to tumor growth rates of a Test Group in a cage with surfaces capable of generating electrostatic charges. After implanting with tumors, both Groups were placed in 66 quart cages in which the bottom was removed and replaced with a floor of two layers of styrene grid to allow the animals' wastes to drop out of the cages. Also styrene grid was suspended 1 1/4" above the floor in both cages to restrict the animals' vertical movement. In the Control Group cage only, hardware cloth was used to cover all plastic surfaces and minimize charge generation. The Test Group mice could walk upon, and also occasionally rub their backs against, the styrene grid surfaces and thus generate electrostatic charges on their fur. The Study was terminated on day 15, and the median tumor weight of the Test Group mice was 151% larger than the Control Group. Thus naturally produced electrostatic fields do indeed accelerate tumor growth.

EXAMPLE B

In an additional study example using electrostatic charges generated as the mice move around inside cages, both the Control Group and the Test Group of mice were placed in 66 quart cages in which the bottoms were removed and replaced with two layers of styrene grid to allow their wastes to drop out of the cages. A 1/4" thick clear acrylic top sheet was suspended 1 1/4" above the floor in both cages to restrict the animals' vertical movement. In the Control Group cage only, hardware cloth was used to cover the plastic floor and wall surfaces to minimize charge generation, and the wire was grounded to help remove any charges generated. The mice in both cages could occasionally rub their backs against the suspended acrylic sheet above them, and the charges generated were measured with a digital static meter on day 15 when the test was terminated. When four locations on the acrylic sheet surface of the Control Group were measured they were found to have -10, -20, -30, and -50 volts. The same four locations on the Test Group acrylic sheet surface had charges of +320, +180, +190, and +230 volts. Also the median tumor weight of the Test Group was 179% larger than the Control Group. Even the relatively low electrostatic charges and fields generated in the Test Group cage resulted in accelerated tumor growth.

EXAMPLE C

In yet another study example using electrostatic fields generated as the mice move around inside cages, the inventor set-up four groups of mice, with approximately equivalent tumor burdens in each group, in four 66 quart cages. The cages were then randomly assigned as a control group, or as one of three test groups. The control group (Group A) cage contained only a wire grid floor. The Group B cage contained a wire grid floor plus a piece of polyester carpet suspended above the floor with the carpet fiber ends 1 " above the floor, and also the carpet surface was coated with a conductive (but dry) mixture of 3% Exxon Q-14-2 cationic surfactant to quickly disperse any electrostatic charges generated. The Group C cage contained a wire grid floor plus a piece of polyester carpet (uncoated) suspended 1" from the floor. The Group D cage contained a plastic grid floor plus a piece of polyester carpet (uncoated) suspended 1" from the floor. The study design thus allowed the mice in Groups A and B to generated only low level electrostatic charges as they moved around in the cages, while Groups C and D created much higher charges as their fur rubbed against the nonconductive carpet. Electrostatic field measurements were made each day in each cage and typically found field levels around 200 volts in the A and B Group cages, and around 1 ,500 volts in the Group C and D cages. Polyester carpet was chosen as the surface the animals could rub against because nylon and fur are in similar locations in the triboelectric series and this allows a direct connection to be made between the charges generated in this study and those found if a polyester-containing blouse is worn over a nylon bra.

The animals were placed in their respective cages 4 days after the tumor implant, and tumor size measurements were made on days 4, 7, 10, and 13. The median tumor size (in milligrams) and the ratio of each Test Group tumor to that of the Control Group was (ratio shown in parentheses):

Group Day 4 (start) Day 7 Dav 10 Dav 13

A. 36.5 mg 37.0 mg 119.8 mg 636.0 mg

B. 39.5 (8%) 59.6 (65%) 162.7 (35%) 619.0 (-3%)

C. 43.5 (19%) 98.4 (165%) 358.2 (199%) 1 ,548.0 (143%) D. 41.6 (14%) 104.6 (183%) 362.4 (202%) 1 ,459.0 (129%)

The median tumor size of the weak electrostatic field-exposed Groups A and B remained very similar throughout the 13 day study. The median tumor size of the stronger electrostatic field-exposed Groups C and D also remained very similar the study, but by day 13 the tumors in both Groups C and D were close to 2.5 times larger than the tumors in Groups A and B.

In addition, although statistical analysis is not the standard method of evaluating results of this type of study, the inventor conducted Fisher's Exact Tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests comparing the tumor growth in combined Groups A and B, with that of combined Groups C and D. As usual, a p-value of 0.05 or less was considered a significant difference between the Groups. None of the groups showed a significant difference on day 4 at the start of the electrostatic field exposure. In terms of absolute tumor size, the Fisher test indicated significant Group differences on days 7, 10, and 13 (p=0.034, 0.006, and 0.034 respectively). In terms of changes from day 4, the fisher test indicated significant Group differences on days 10 and 13 (p=0.034 in each case) but not on day 7 (p=0.37), most likely due to the fact that Group B had a number of tumors above the overall median. With the Mann-Whitney test, absolute tumor size was significantly different on days 7, 10, and 13 (p=0.012, 0.007, and 0.010 respectively), and the changes from day 4 were also significant for all three days (p=0.023, 0.006, and 0.012 respectively). The Mann-Whitney U scores were then converted to odds of a CD animal having a larger tumor size increase than an AB animal on each day: day 7=2.34 to 1 , day 10=2.84 to 1, and day 13=2.86 to 1.

EXAMPLES P. E. AND F

It is desirable to have better control over the power and location of the electric fields used in such studies than those generated as the animals move around the cages. Much of the inventor's work has involved placing known electric charge levels on conductive surfaces, above and/or below the animals in the cages, to provide controlled exposure of the animals to electric fields from these charged surfaces (the animals could not contact the charged surfaces). Model #MP Power supplies from Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corporation, Plainview, NY were used for these studies because they provide very low output ripple and suitably duplicate a stationary electrostatic charge. The inventor has conducted studies placing the Test Group mice in electric fields of various intensities between charged and grounded surfaces, and compared their median tumor weight to Control Group mice in the same type of cage but with no electric charge applied. In the following examples, after tumor implant, a single Control Group and three Test Groups of mice were placed in 66 quart cages with styrene grid laid on the normal floor to keep the animals out of their wastes, and electrically grounded screen wire, tightly stretched on a wooden frame, was suspended 2 1/2" above the floor grid in each cage to restrict the animals' vertical movement. An aluminum plate was laid under (outside) the Test Group cages so an electric charge could be applied under the cages to allow the charge fields to pass into the cages and impinge on the Test Group mice. In the Test Group cages, the distance between outside aluminum sheet and the top screen wire was 3", with the outside aluminum plate 0.875" from the bottom surface of the mice, and the top screen approximately 1" above the top surface of the mice. The mice in all Groups could occasionally touch the grounded top screen wire but their normal activity did not place them in contact with it. For the Test Groups, Spellman power supplies were used to place the chosen electric charge on the outside aluminum plate. For the Control Group, a layer of electrically grounded hardware cloth was placed on top of the styrene grid floor to minimize electrostatic charge production. The median tumor weight ratios of the Test Groups over the Control Groups when the Study was terminated on day 13 was

D. -1000 volts applied = 191% larger than the Control Group.

E. -5000 volts applied = 194% larger than the Control Group.

F. -5000 volts applied one hour on and four hours off = Test Group

188% larger than the Control Group. There was not a significant difference in accelerated tumor growth created by exposure to a 1 ,000 volt charge field compared to a 5,000 volt charge field. Also, applying the charge field over a shorter time period did not significantly decrease the accelerated tumor growth.

EXAMPLE G

In a study to demonstrate the extreme level of accelerated tumor growth possible from exposure to electric fields, after tumor implant, a Control Group and a Test Group of mice were placed in 19.5 quart cages with styrene grid laid on the normal floor to keep the animals out of their wastes, and a top sheet of 1/8" thick acrylic with electrically grounded aluminum foil covering the surface away from the animals was suspended 1 7/8" above the grid floor. The Control Group cage contained hardware cloth covering all plastic surfaces to minimize charge generation. An aluminum plate was placed under (outside) the Test Group cage and charged to -14,850 volts with a Spellman power supply to expose the Test Group mice to a strong electrostatic field. The Study was terminated on day 16, and the median tumor weight of the Test Group was 344% larger than the Control Group. This is frightening fast accelerated tumor growth resulting from exposure to an electrostatic field.

Two important notes to anyone wishing to conduct similar studies. First, make sure the cages are well ventilated. During one of the inventor's studies, conducted after making what the inventor thought were minor cage structure changes, Test Groups exposed to electric fields failed to achieve accelerated tumor growth even though the same methods had produced accelerated growth in several previous studies. After repeating the study, and again achieving poor results, it was found that the cage changes had restricted ventilation in the cages enough that a thin, almost invisible, film of urine mist could accumulate on the interior cage surfaces, in effect creating a conductive barrier around the mice. This problem was corrected, and the test repeated, with the expected accelerated tumor growth occurring. Since that time the inventor has used screen wire as the top sheet surface, sometimes insulated from the mice with two layers of Plaskolite plastic grid between the screen and mice, and it is also desirable to use the Plaskolite material to replace the solid cage floor and increase ventilation. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the construction of the Test Group cage does not result in opposite charges being attracted, over time, to locations in the cage which tend to shield the animals from the fields intended to enter the cage. This is best confirmed by measuring the field strength inside the cage when the charges are first applied, and then 5 to 6 hours later.

Results of the above studies are surprising and not predicted in light of the current popular belief that electric fields alone cannot transmit significant influence into the interior of a living body. The following possible theoretical explanations are offered for the inventor's findings, without any limiting effect intended on the scope of the present invention, in the hope they will aid in understanding the invention. These explanations are wholly theoretical because our present knowledge of cell biology at the molecular level is incomplete. For example, how normal cells, much less cancer cells, control their growth rate is unknown. The structure of a mammalian (including human) body is far from the homogenous conductive sphere typically used in physics classes to illustrate zero electric field inside of a conductive item. Also the tissue structure and dynamic electrochemical operation of the body are believed to be far too complex to model with Maxwellian equations. The body structure is not homogeneous. Mammals are approximately 60% water, with electrolytes to make it conductive, but 40% of the body is constructed of proteins and lipids, which rank among the best nonconductors on earth. This 40% is the important part of mammals, including people, and it seems quite possible this part also provides paths through which electrostatic fields can exert influence into a mammalian body and affect normal metabolic activities. The inventor theorizes the field from an electrostatic charge, on the surface of clothes for example, can polarize atoms and molecules of the nonconductive membranes of the epidermis cells. This turns these atoms and molecules into electric dipoles, with their normal electron distribution rearranged to create an electric field imbalance which is in turn transmitted to adjacent cells. Each cell in the solid tissue of the body makes a number of types of intimate connections with adjacent cells, including tight junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions. In addition, mammals have an extensive network of interstitial fibers, constructed of protein, connecting between cells and in effect holding the body together, and also an extensive network of nonconductive microtubules and strands span from the membrane through the interior of each cell. Thus, in a stepwise fashion, any electrostatic field imbalance (most likely because of dielectric shielding inside the body) would be carried deep into the body as dipoles within these nonconductive pathways. These protein pathways would not have to be very efficient at transmitting the polarizing effect of high-voltage fields outside the body to create an unnatural charge distribution on or near cells, which could influence their metabolic activities. Every normal process of the body happens because of natural electrostatic forces which, at most, range in the thousandths of one volt. A person is nothing but electrochemical reactions occurring in the approximately 75 trillion cells of the body, and the natural electrostatic fields of the person's body control the way molecules approach, align with, and connect with each other to create these reactions. An unnatural polarizing force, of even low voltage, in close proximity to the sites of these natural occurrences could be expected to exert influence. In the Examples reported above, the electrostatic field forces thus reaching the cancer cells may be altering normal charge distributions on the cell membranes which control cell division rates. Alternately, the abnormal charge distribution created on the cancer cell membranes may be influencing the membranes to prematurely open channels and, in effect, force feed the cells. In any event, the Examples clearly indicate that electrostatic fields must enter biological tissue via some mechanism since otherwise they would be unable to reach cancer cells and produce the accelerated growth that has been found.

Regardless of the mechanism, consider the effect electrostatic field induced accelerated tumor growth could have on cancer treatment. Depending on the tumor type and its location, cancer cells can divide (or double) in time frames ranging form less than 24 hours to numbers of days. In a highly simplified example, consider a cancer patient with 100 cancer cells which normally double each seven days. Typically, a patient's body cannot stand up under powerful chemotherapy treatments on more than a monthly basis. If, during week number one, the patient undergoes a chemotherapy treatment which kills 90 percent of the cancer cells (a high percentage kill for one treatment), 10 viable cells would remain (day 7). During week two the 10 cells would double into 20, then week three 40, then week four 80. By the start of week five, and time for the second chemotherapy treatment, the patient would have 20 fewer cancer cells and would be just winning the battle. Consider the outcome of the above example if the time required for the cancer cells to double were reduced by 14%, from 7 to 6 days, because of the influence of electrostatic fields. Again, the patient would start with 100 cancer cells and the first chemotherapy treatment would reduce this to 10 on day seven. The six day doubling time from that point forth would result in 20 cells by day 13, 40 cells by day 19, 80 cells by day 25, and 120 cells by day 28 and time for the next chemotherapy treatment. At this point the patient would have 20 more cancer cells than before the first treatment, and would go loosing the battle against exponential cell growth. The examples reported above have demonstrated electrostatic field induced accelerated tumor growth much faster than 14% in mice, and it is reasonable to believe that electrostatic fields would also substantially accelerate the cancer growth rate in humans. Even a very small increase in the cancer cell growth rate could most certainly make the difference in treatment outcome.

The source of the electric force fields used in the above Study Examples D through G is easily defined by the voltage applied to the charged surfaces, either 1 ,000, 5,000, or 14,850 volts. However the animals' bodies distort the electric fields to an extent that makes it difficult to precisely predict the exact electrical potential on various parts of the animals' bodies. Since the animals in Studies D-G were 7/8" from the charged surface, the electric fields they were subjected to were smaller than that of the power supply. For example, without the animals in the cages and distorting the field, the electrical potential 7/8" from the charged surface would be approximately 708 volts for 1,000 volts, and 3,540 volts for 5,000 volts applied.

People are subjected to electrostatic charges of this magnitude on a daily basis, and almost constantly to the 100 to 300 volt electrostatic charges measured in the above Study Example B. There have been studies conducted by companies in the electronics industry, with the goal of reducing damage to components from electrostatic discharge, which document the magnitude of electrostatic charges commonly produced by various activities. Production of such charges depends to a great extent on the relative humidity, with higher humidities resulting in lower electrostatic charge generation. For example, a study conducted by Forcefield Static Management Systems, Ontario, Canada, shows the electrostatic charge generated by four activities at various humidities in Table 1 : 20% RH 40% RH 60% RH

Walking 20' feet on

Rubber Floor Mat = 17,000 volts 10,000 volts 4,800 volts

Picking Up a Poly¬ ethylene Bag = 17,000 volts 9,000 volts 5,500 volts

Walking 20' on Vinyl Floor = 12,100 volts 6,200 volts 3,600 volts

Rising from a

Sitting Position = 6,100 volts 3,000 volts 1,800 volts

Furthermore, the inventor has measured electrostatic charges generated by various activities at 50% relative humidity, and has found that removing a nylon jacket, while wearing a polyester shirt leaves a 1 ,980 volt charge on the center of the shirt's front surface, and a 6,000 volt charge on the center of the shirt's rear surface; that removing a rayon lined jacket, while wearing a silk blouse, leaves a 600 volt charge on the center front of the blouse, and a 4,300 volt charge on the center back of the blouse; and that getting up from between two cotton bed sheets while wearing polyester pajamas leaves a 3,100 volt charge on the front center chest area of the pajamas, and a 4,600 volt charge on the back center of the pajamas.

Without doubt, electrostatic charges, certainly charges of hundreds of volts, are almost always present on clothes that are being worn, even under relatively high humidity conditions. These lower voltage electrostatic charges are easier to generate, and take much longer to disperse across, or drain from, clothes than higher voltage charges. Charges generated on human skin are able to disperse or drain along the relatively conductive surface of the skin, whereas charges generated on the surface of clothes are trapped on the relatively nonconductive surface of the cloth. These charges remain in place near the body, and can take longer and longer periods of time to disperse as the charge or voltage drops lower. Such electrostatic charges on clothes have only two methods of being eliminated. In one method, perspiration, rain or water vapor permeating the fabric provides a conductive path for the charge to spread, or drain, from the fabric. The synthetic fibers of most clothes today can make this a very slow process if the moisture is due to water vapor because the fibers are good electrical insulators, and also are hydrophobic and thus slow to help the water molecules connect because of poor moisture wicking properties. The second method is by air ions combining with and neutralizing each individual charge location. Both of these methods can be very slow, and also some areas of the human body are occasionally out of easy contact with water molecules or ions in the air (when we sit in a chair or lie in bed for example) and electrostatic charges can be very high in these areas.

The inventor has also conducted controlled tests to demonstrate the ability of electrostatic charges, particularly those under a few hundred volts, to stay in place on the surface of common fabrics over long periods of time. The method involved stretching several types of fabric on 12" diameter wooden crochet frames, charging the fabric by rubbing with another piece of cloth, then using a Monroe Model 261 Digital Static Meter to measure the voltage drop over time. The crochet frames were clamped on one side to a wooden support, and all measurements were made at the same time under 55% relative humidity conditions. The voltage decay times are as shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2

Polyester Nylon Acetate

Start: -9,000V +8.760V -7,010V

One Hour: -1 ,380V +640V -960V

Two Hours: -80V ov -90V

Thus, the inventor's research indicates that environmentally created electrostatic charges are present on the surface of clothes more often than not, and that fields from these charges can influence processes inside a living body. Additional studies he is now conducting demonstrate conclusively that electrostatic fields exert influence on cells other than just cancer. In total, this research points to the unexpected, but highly desirable, need to protect both normal and disease tissue from exposure to electrostatic fields.

Although electrostatic charges must be removed from the bodies and clothing of some workers in the electronics industry in fractions of a second in order to avoid damaging certain semiconductor devices, it is not necessary for the field-attenuating articles of the invention to eliminate static charges rapidly, or even to eliminate electrostatic charges at all. In fact, it is not practical, in the activities of daily life, to incorporate the range of methods used in industry to prevent generation of electrostatic charges. The more practical approach, taken by the present invention, is to ignore electrostatic charges which may occur clothes or other surface in the environment, but to shield sensitive areas of the body from exposure to electrostatic fields from these charges just before they impinge on the body. These electrostatic fields, not electrostatic charges per se, present the danger of influencing cellular functions inside the body. Thus, the field-attenuating articles of the invention serve their purpose whether the electrostatic fields they are protecting against emanate from clothing or from surfaces off of the body, such as a chair back for example.

The field-attenuating articles of the present invention includes garments, linings, or other coverings, worn or applied adjacent to the body, which incorporate or form or contain at least one plane or constituent of a charge- transporting medium which is capable of transporting electrons and/or ions to, or away from, areas on the charge-transporting medium as needed to intercept and attenuate electrostatic field. The term "garment" in this context means any clothing item worn in the first location next to the body, such bras, tee shirts, undershorts, panties, or diapers, for example. The term "lining" in this context means any material lining an outer worn article (outer worn article generally worn over clothing items which are worn next to the body). The term "other covering" in this context means any other item worn next to the body, such as feminine napkins, bands, prosthesis, or bandages, for example. The field- attenuating articles of the present invention may be used singularly or in any combination. The charge-transporting medium may be placed on either surface, or within, the structure of a field-attenuating article, or may comprise the article itself. The charge-transporting medium may be incorporated in or on only some portion of the field-attenuating article, such as a grid to reduce cost for example, or may present a relatively unbroken surface, or may form the field- attenuating article itself.

Placing a field-attenuating article adjacent to the body presents the additional advantage of being able to use the body itself to provide electrical capacitance, and/or to act as an electron sink or source in the event that the charge-transporting medium contacts the skin (or even if a small portion of the charge-transporting medium, such as conductive threads for example, contacts the skin), if needed to aid small field-attenuating articles in reducing strong electrostatic fields.

Whether or not a field-attenuating article of the invention is conductive at its surface, or simply conductive within the charge-transporting medium, will depend on the locations and type of charge-transporting medium that is used. Basically, any material with a surface resistivity that is preferably less than about 10¹³ Ω/square (or a volume resistivity that is preferably less than about 10¹² Ω-cm) is suitable for forming the charger-transporting medium. Materials with 10⁵ Ω/square resistivity are widely available, and generally more preferred because they permit electrons to move in greater number over a given time period. With such a broad range of suitable materials available, the material chosen as the charge-transporting medium in a given field-attenuating article of the invention will depend upon economic factors, such as material cost or equipment available at a given manufacturer for example, as much as anything.

If the material of the field-attenuating article is not intrinsically conductive, the charge-transporting medium may be applied by any conveniently available method, such as mixing within the material of the field- attenuating article as the material is produced, or by dipping, spraying, or printing within or upon the field-attenuating article, for example. Examples of materials which may be used singularly or in combination for the charge- transporting medium include:

(1) A conductive foil, possibly laminated to or between layers of the field-attenuating article. Delkher Corporation, Bradford, CT., is a representative supplier of such thin gauge foil in various metals.

(2) A metallic coating deposited on the fabric of the field- attenuating article, or upon filaments (threads) woven within or on the field-attenuating article. Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis, MO, is a representative supplier of such materials in various substrates such as woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, foam, etc.

(3) Particles or fibers of carbon or metal, or insulators doped with metal oxides, for example, can be dispersed into or on the material of the field-attenuating articles, preferably at a level which allows enough of them to contact each other to establish a relatively continuous conductive plane. DuPont Specialty Chemicals, Wilmington, Delaware, is one supplied of such materials. In addition, conductive particles or fibers may be added to polymers or other materials and applied as a coating in either a continuous or patterned arrangement within, or upon, the field-attenuating article. Carroll Coatings Company, Providence, Rhode Island, is one supplier of such coatings.

(4) Hygroscopic, polyelectrolyte, or ion-exchange compounds may be added or applied to the material of the field-attenuating article to aid in conduction of ions and counterions to different locations within or on the material of the field-attenuating article. These compounds are typically not durable enough to withstand repeated washing when applied to the surface of articles, but are inexpensive and suitable with this type of application for disposable field-attenuating articles of the invention. For a more durable use, these compounds may be mixed with the polymers or other materials used to construct the charge-transporting medium, as the material is produced, so the compounds are contained internally as well as on the surface. Witco Corporation, New York, NY is one supplier of such compounds. (5) Intrinsically conductive polymers are under development which may be used either by dispersal within or on standard fabrics or sheets, or even used to produce fabric like material suitable for the article itself. Doped polyacetylene was the first of these polymers available, and now about a dozen polymers with electrically conductive or dissipate properties have been developed. These polymers are still relatively expensive, and are not particularly durable. However, the cost is coming down, and durability is improving. Allied-Signal, Buffalo, NY, and BF Goodrich, Brecksville, OH, are major suppliers. (6) Several types of filament (monofilament or yarn) with electrically conductive or dissipative materials already applied on or within the fiber are currently available. These filaments may be used to construct complete field-attenuating articles, or they may be interposed or woven on, or within, the field-attenuating articles in some pattern to reduce costs. One example of such thread is carbon suffused nylon or polyester supplied by BASF Corporation, Enka, North Carolina and used, for example, to drain charges from lab coats, etc., in the electronic industry. Even if used in a grid pattern in a finished fabric, these filaments contact each other and provide a relatively continuous conductive surface across the fabric, typically to a grounded lead. In a different approach, DuPont Fibers, Wilmington, DE, provides a bicomponent filament consisting of an electrically conductive carbon black core shaped in cross-section as three small lobes protruding around a main body of the carbon black. This conductive core is entirely surrounded with a sheath of polyester plastic and is not conductive on its surface, and thus does not meet Standards for charge draining garments used in the electronics industry. This type of filament would, however, be suitable for the field-attenuating articles of the invention. Filaments with electrically conductive or dissipative materials already applied (see item 6 immediately above) make it particularly easy to construct woven fabric for the invention. The inventor has tested examples to demonstrate their ability to attenuate electrostatic fields. The test method used a jig constructed of two aluminum disks (each 5" in diameter and 1/8" thick) center mounted on each end of a delrin rod (which was 8" long and 1/2" in diameter), thus forming a dumbbell shape. The aluminum disks were electrically connected together with copper wire, and the entire jig was vertically mounted above a Chapman #261 Digital Static Meter. The top aluminum disk (farthest away from the meter) was considered to represent a body surface, and any electrostatic field brought close to this surface would move electrons on or off of the surface, through the wire, to the lower disk where the field voltage could be measured by the meter. Woven fabrics, both with and without the above conductive filaments incorporated, and other materials, were stretched on wooden crochet frames and could be laid directly on the top aluminum disk to represent an intimately worn garment (or other article next to the body), and electrostatic fields impinging on the top disk (representing the body) could be measured. The electrostatic field source used was polyester fabric stretched on a 12" diameter crochet frame and rubbed with a piece of nylon fabric. The crochet frame with this charged fabric could be laid on top of the fabric representing an intimately worn garment, and thus represent the charged surface of a second garment worn over the first, or any charged surface the body is close to. By first measuring the charged fabric voltage, and then laying the charged fabric on top of the first fabric (that is, the fabric laid directly on the top aluminum disk and representing an intimately worn garment), any electrostatic field voltage drop created by the first fabric could be determined. Also, by holding a small area of the first fabric which extended out around the crochet frame between one thumb and index finger while standing on a 1/2" thick rubber mat, any additional voltage drop by using the body as an electron sink or source could be determined. These voltage readings are categorized as indicated below in the following examples, in which "Electrostatic Field Applied" means the voltage on the charged (rubbed) fabric. "Field Passed By Fabric" means the voltage of the electrostatic field passing through the first fabric to the aluminum disk. Finally, "Field Passed If Held" means the voltage of the electrostatic field passing through the first fabric with a small area of the first fabric held between a thumb and finger.

EXAMPLE H The initial fabric tested was plain polyester (no charge-transporting medium) as the first fabric, laid directly on the top disk of the jig. The measurements were as follows:

Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed

Field Applied Bv Fabric If Held -3,670 volts -3,660 volts -3,610 volts

These measurements support the conclusion that normal fabric does not prevent passage of electrostatic fields. The 10 volt drop was probably due to charge decay on the charge source, and the 50 volt drop as the first fabric was held was probably due to the closeness of the inventor's hand to the charge source, allowing a small part of the field to divert directly to the hand instead of passing through the first fabric to the meter.

EXAMPLE I

The next fabric tested was a knit weave of 97.4% polyester and 2.6% nylon monofilament with carbon suffused on the surface (BASF Corporation).

The carbon on the surface of the monofilament served as a charge-transporting medium. The monofilament was applied to form an approximately 1/8" grid, and the weave placed most of this conductive grid along one surface of the fabric. The ability of this fabric to attenuate electrostatic fields was tested both with the conductive grid surface away from the top aluminum disk of the jig, and with the conductive grid in contact with the top disk. With the grid surface away from the top disk, the measurements were as follows:

Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed

Field Applied Bv Fabric If Held

-4,700 volts -1 ,570 volts 0 volts With the grid surface toward the top disk, the measurements were as follows:

Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed

Field Applied Bv Fabric If Held

-4,380 volts -1,200 volts 0 volts The grid of the monofilament of the charge-transporting medium was conductive with a surface resistivity of 2.0 x 10⁵ ohms/square on the surface containing most of the exposed grid, and 5.0 x 10⁵ ohms/square across the other surface. This provides a very good mechanism for attenuating electrostatic fields, and the body can be used as an electron sink or source if needed.

EXAMPLE J

The next fabric tested with a charge-transporting medium was a plain weave of approximately 97% polyester and 3% of yarn with a carbon core sheathed in a covering of polyester (DuPont). The carbon core yarn was woven in the fabric in approximately a 7/32" grid pattern, and the plain weave placed this grid level with all other filaments of the fabric. The measurements were as follows:

Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed Field Applied By Fabric If Held

-3,800 volts -1,110 volts Instant drop to -50 volts, then to 0 within 2 seconds.

In this example, the fabric and yarn containing the charge-transporting medium are not conductive across the surface; however, holding a small area of the fabric allows extra capacitance of the body to aid in attenuating the electrostatic field.

EXAMPLE K

The next fabric tested was a polypropylene sheet sprayed on one surface with a mixture of 1% Tomah Q-18-2 (Exxon, Milton, Wl), 6% isopropanol, and 93% water. The Q-18-2 is octadecyl dihydroxyethyl methyl ammonium chloride and provides a layer of aqueous ionic charges to establish a low level of conductance on the surface of the sheet. This operates both by accumulating very low levels of moisture from the ambient air (certain cationic, anionic, non-ionic, and amphoteric compounds have this ability), and by charge neutralization because of the cationic nature of the Q-18-2. The sprayed polypropylene sheet quickly dried, and was then aged for 4 weeks to confirm the coating would not completely evaporate off of the surface. The test results during week 5 were: Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed

Field Applied Bv Sheet If Held

-3,790 volts -940 volts -50 volts, then 0 in 1 second.

In this test, the polypropylene sheet was not conductive across one surface, and the other surface with the aged coating had a surface resistivity just under 10¹² ohms/square. Even this very low conductivity level can attenuate a strong electrostatic field if the body is used as an electron sink or source. This method of adding a charge-transporting medium to articles is not durable enough for washing and repeated use, but it is suitable for disposable articles.

EXAMPLE L

The inventor's tests included additional types of structures, other than fabrics, suitable for the field-attenuating of the invention. For example, a 1/16" thick sheet of polyurethane foam with 10% carbon particles (Cabot Corporation, Billerica, MA) mixed and dispersed into the foam was tested. The following results were measured:

Electrostatic Field Passed Field Passed

Field Applied Bv Foam If Held

-2,990 volts -430 volts -70 volts, then 0 in 3 seconds.

In this test, the level of carbon particles loaded into the foam was not high enough so they could uniformly contact each other and create a highly conductive plane. Nevertheless the carbon-impregnated foam was able to attenuate the applied electrostatic field considerably, particularly when it was grounded to the body by holding it so that the body could serve as a source or sink of electrons.

EXAMPLE M After completing the tests explained above in Examples I through L, the same charge-transporting media items used in the above tests were used in an additional test by laying the crochet-frame-stretched items directly on the top 5" aluminum disk (representing a first layer of a field-attenuating article, worn next to the body). Then that layer was rubbed with a nylon fabric representing a second layer of clothing, etc., worn over the first. The electrostatic field voltage generated on the first item or layer was measured. In the measured results presented below, "Rubbed Charge" means the voltage of the electrostatic field generated on the first item surface by rubbing with the nylon cloth. "Drops To" means the level that the field voltage on the item dropped to when an edge of the item was held between the thumb and finger. "Second Test" means the field voltage generated on the item surface during a second test while an edge of the item was held between the thumb and finger as the item was rubbed with a nylon cloth.

Rubbed Charge Drops To Second Test

Item H -2,330 volts -2,280 -2,930 Item I -320 volts 0 -60 then 0 in less than 1 second. Item J +850 volts 0 +90 then 0 in less than 3 seconds.

Item K -50 volts 0 -20 then 0 in less than 1 second.

Item L +200 volts +40 then 0 in less than 1 second.

EXAMPLE N

A final test was used to demonstrate that even a conductive surface rubbing on a nonconductive surface, such as a conductive lab coat rubbing on the surface of a standard shirt worn underneath, can generate significant electrostatic charges. In this test, standard nylon fabric was stretched in a crochet frame and laid on the top 5" aluminum disk to represent a shirt or blouse surface next to the body. This fabric was then rubbed with #KT198/199 polyester/carbon fabric (McMurray Fabrics Inc., Aberdeen, NC). The

KT198/199 fabric is typical of that used in conductive lab coats, etc., and to minimize charge generation the carbon filaments were grounded, as they commonly are in industrial uses, while the fabric was rubbed over the nylon surface. Even with the carbon filaments grounded to remove charges from the KT198/199 fabric, +990 volts were generated on the nylon fabric surface, and it took over 2 hours for this charge to decay to zero.

In the above Example N, a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention, worn between the nylon shirt or blouse and the body, would have attenuated the electrostatic field and reduced or eliminated entirely its interactions with the body. This is the prime function of the field-attenuating articles of the invention, and the accompanying drawings illustrate some examples of the many article types in which the invention may be advantageously used, and some of the charge-transporting media that are possible, to protect areas of the body which may be susceptible to the influence of electrostatic fields.

Many other types of apparel articles may beneficially incorporate the invention to protect the body from exposure to electrostatic fields. For example, the standard lining in coats and jackets may incorporate a charge-transporting medium to help protect the body as the garment rubs against a chair or other surface. Likewise, a lining may be added to at least the pelvic area of pants or slacks to protect the body from electrostatic fields generated as we sit on chairs or other surfaces. In these examples, electrostatic charges may be created between the linings and a standard shirt or undergarment worn under the linings. This method is therefore not the optimum method of protecting the body from electrostatic fields; however, the inventor's research has demonstrated that electrostatic field strength is an important factor in accelerated cancer growth, and the conductive nature of the lining would reduce the strength of triboelectric charges generated (and thus their field strength) while simultaneously protecting the body from commonly strong electrostatic fields generated, for example, as pants or a jacket rub against a chair.

Additionally, other items (other than just apparel) commonly worn next to the body can provide a wearer benefits by incorporating a charge-transporting medium to protect the body from electrostatic fields. One important example of this would be the prosthesis worn by women who have undergone a mastectomy (typically because of, or because of the threat of, breast cancer). Common prostheses in use today are made from either a soft fabric or fiber puff, or a molded polymer (most often silicon) duplicating the breast shape. These prostheses are usually worn inside a bra, sometimes with adhesive strips attaching the prosthesis to the chest wall. Women who have undergone a mastectomy because of cancer face a high risk of cancer recurrence in the remaining chest tissue, and also in the other breast. Yet, currently used prostheses are electrical insulators and are capable of generating strong electrostatic fields as the prosthesis moves against a bra or blouse surface. This places the wearer in additional jeopardy regarding cancer, and this can be avoided by utilizing a prosthesis incorporating a charge-transporting medium. This is also true for the adhesive attachment strips sometimes used to hold the prosthesis in place; they are electrostatic charge generators, and this can be avoided with the addition of a charge-transporting medium. The following embodiment examples are offered to help illustrate and teach the invention in use. To aid in this, a wide variety of different constructions have been included in an effort to demonstrate a range of possibilities. Any of the charge-transporting media and methods discussed herein, and also their equivalents, may be used in place of, or in addition to, those in these examples to address the particular needs of a specific manufacturer or situation. THE FIRST EMBODIMENT

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention, in this case a brassiere 20. Brassiere 20 is an intimately worn garment, meaning that it is worn next to the skin. Brassiere 20 includes breast cups 22, a front web 24 connecting the breast cups, a rear strap 26 with a clasp, and adjustable shoulder straps 28. The breast cups 22 are made from fabric having a conductive grid 30 which serves a charge-transporting medium to protect the breast tissue from electrostatic fields. Although the grid 30 preferably extends over the entirety of each of the breast cups 22, in Figure 1 only a portion of the grid 30 in each breast cup 22 is shown as an aid to clarity and for the sake of convenient illustration.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged fragmentary portion of the fabric from which breast cups 22 are made. This is a typical plain weave fabric which includes conductive filaments 32 and non-conductive filaments 34. In this embodiment, the non-conductive filaments 34 are made of cotton (although other materials such as nylon or polyester can be used) and the conductive filaments 32 are DuPont's #190 Nega-Stat yarn. This yarn is 35 denier in size and contains six individual filaments of a conductive carbon core inside a sheath of polyester. The conductive filaments 32 (i.e., the #190 yarn) are interposed in the weave to replace the normal, non-conductive filaments 34 in such a manner that the grid 30 formed by the conductive filaments has a pattern of squares with sides that are 1/4" long (although the grid pattern may have either larger or smaller dimensions and other shapes). One square of grid 30 is shown in Figure 2. The construction of a field-attenuating brassiere in accordance with the present invention is not limited to that shown in Figures 1 and 2. In particular, other fabric weaves may be used in lieu of the plain-weave fabric shown in Figure 2, in this and various other embodiments to be described hereafter, if the fabric contains conductive filaments in at least some portion, most conveniently a grid. It will also be apparent that other types of conductive filaments may be used. One example is shown in Figure 3, where a fiber in a yarn which forms a conductive filament is shown as having a conductive coating 36 (an aluminum film in this case) on an insulating fiber core 38. Another example would be a yarn having fibers which include an intrinsically conductive polymer. Such a polymer may be used to make fibers which are blended, at even 15% or less, with standard fabric fibers. Alternatively, an intrinsically conductive polymer may be drawn into fibers and woven as cloth without other fibers, although the cost of this would be relatively high at the present time.

The structure of the brassiere may be of any design, and common production methods may be used, but the fabric of at least the breast cups must include a charge-transporting medium within or on the weave of the fabric. To provide durability through repeated washings and wearings the charge- transporting medium is preferably conductive filaments as in brassiere 20, but durable coatings or other methods equivalent to those previously discussed may be used.

Also, a notable alternative would be to construct at least the breast cups from two layers of fabric with the layers heat-sealed together with a thin layer of polyurethane foam (or other material) containing carbon particles dispersed within or on the foam. The foam would act as an adhesive, holding the two fabric layers together while also maintaining the carbon particles in the desired position through repeated wear and washing. If desired one or more conductive threads could be used to sew the brassiere seams. This thread would pass through the carbon particle foam layer to the side of the brassiere contacting the body, and provide conductive contact between the carbon particles and the body.

THE SECOND EMBODIMENT Figures 4-6 illustrate a second embodiment of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention. This field-attenuating article is a brassiere insert 40, which is shown in a side elevational view in Figure 4 and in a cross-sectional view in Figure 5. Insert 40 is molded of foam rubber (preferably silicon or polyurethane foam rubber) in a 1/16" thick breast contour shape covering the majority of the breast. Conductive particles such as fibers 42 (see Figure 6) are dispersed into the rubber mix before or during molding. The conductive fibers 42 are preferably six to ten micron diameter by 1/8" long stainless steel fibers and are present in an amount that is 0.5% by weight of the insert 40. Such fibers are available from Belaert Fibers Technology of Marietta, Georgia under #GR-90/C20/4. At this additive level, the foam rubber is not highly conductive but the fibers 42 are capacitively connected to the body and thus to each other. Unlike carbon particles, the lighter color of the stainless steel fibers allows the inserts 40 to be produced in desired flesh tone colors for Caucasian women. Carbon particles can be used in lieu of metal fibers to achieve darker flesh tones.

A higher percentage of fibers may be added to the foam rubber if protection from electromagnetic fields (for example, from radar installations or defective microwave ovens) as well as electrostatic fields is desired in order to protect the breast tissue from such electromagnetic fields and/or the heating that they may cause. For example, 1.5% fiber added can produce a greater than 65 db drop in the passage of microwaves. Lower EMF frequencies may be blocked with the addition of magnetic responsive materials, such as iron or ferrite particles for example, to the foam rubber mix. In an additional cost- saving measure, the inserts may be molded thicker in areas prone to exposure to electrostatic fields such as the upper and outer quadrants of the breasts, and thinner in other areas such as between the breasts. Although insert 40 is made from foam rubber impregnated with metal particles as described above, other materials commonly used in the industry such as fabric may be employed. Furthermore any equivalence of the previously-discussed charge-transporting media may be incorporated in or on the inserts in lieu of the metal fibers 42. The field-attenuating inserts can be produced with common methods used in the industry.

THE THIRD EMBODIMENT

Figure 7 illustrates undershorts 44 (in this case, panties for a woman) as a third embodiment of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention. Undershorts 44 include a trunk-encircling portion 46 and a crotch portion 48. The fabric of the encircling portion 46 includes a conductive grid 50 as a charge-transporting medium. Only a portion of the grid 50 is shown in Figure 7. The encircling portion 46 is produced from woven fabric, with nylon, polyester, cotton or blends of these being most common in the industry, but with DuPont's #190 Nega-Stat yarn being interposed in the weave to replace the normal filaments so as to provide conductive grid 50. The grid pattern formed by the conductive yarn is preferably 1/4" or smaller.

It will be apparent that conductive filaments may also be used in crotch portion 48, and that the undershorts 44 shown in Figure 7 may also be advantageously used as the upper portion of pantyhose. It will also be apparent that other fabric weave types (for example, knitted fabric) may be used in this as well as other embodiments in lieu of plain woven fabric.

Field-attenuating undershorts in accordance with the invention may be constructed with common fabrics and methods in the industry, and any equivalence of the previously-discussed charge-transporting media may be used on or within the undershorts to protect the body from electrostatic fields.

THE FOURTH EMBODIMENT

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a body suit 52 as a fourth embodiment of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the invention. It is constructed with common methods in the industry from a stretch fabric such as Spandex (TM). The elastomer used in the normal stretch filaments is blended with less than 7% DuPont Zelec-ECP 1410T to form stretch filaments incorporating a charge-transporting medium. DuPont's Zelec-ECP 1410T conductive particles (5 microns) are dispersed into the elastomer mix before forming the filaments. The conductive particles are titanium dioxide coated with a layer of doped tin oxide and, unlike carbon particles, their light color allows the filaments to be dyed in any desirable color. The 5 micron conductive particles are dispersed within the elastomer at a level suitable for attenuating electrostatic fields, but as a cost saving measure they do not need to be used at levels high enough to contact each other and form a highly conductive plane. These filaments are then interposed in the weave of the fabric in place of normal filaments to form a (preferably) 1/4" or smaller grid 54 (only a portion of which is shown) within the fabric. Body suit 52 has the advantage of covering most of the body trunk area and thus protecting it from electrostatic fields. Note that the same construction method can be used for other stretch-type field- attenuating articles incorporating a charge-transporting medium, such as tee shirts or tube tops for example.

THE FIFTH EMBODIMENT

Figure 9 illustrates one example of a non-garment, but intimately worn, field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention. Figure 9 shows a band 56 which incorporates a charge-transporting medium and which is designed for use over a diseased area of the body. Band 56 is made from woven fabric with BASF Corporation's carbon suffused nylon monofilament interposed in the weave in place of the standard filaments to form a (preferably) 1/4" or smaller grid 58, only a portion of which is shown for the sake of clarity. The grid is in contact with the body surface to allow the body to act as an electron sink or source and aid in attenuating electrostatic fields encroaching on the band. If an absorbent layer next to the body is desired (between band 56 and body), one edge of the band 56 may be folded over so this area of the outside surface with the conductive grid 58 contacts the body. A convenient closure 60, such as Velcro (TM) for example, is used to secure the band 56 around or to the body. However, it will be apparent that an adhesive may be used in lieu of closure 60 to form a bandage which does not necessarily encircle a body part.

THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH EMBODIMENTS

In addition to durable intimately worn field-attenuating articles, the present invention contemplates disposable field-attenuating articles which are intimately worn, for example absorbent items such as baby diapers, adult incontinence aids, and feminine napkins (also known as sanitary napkins). These field-attenuating articles are worn on body areas adjacent organs which may be particularly sensitive to electrostatic fields, and these areas are in fact experiencing a significant increase in cancer incidence. An increase in pelvic cancers in young children over the past 10 years has also been noted, so it is important to protect children as well as adults from electrostatic fields in these body areas. Significantly, the normal disposable absorbent articles which are intimately worn are typically constructed of nonwoven fabrics and plastic sheet which can produce very high-voltage electrostatic fields.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an incontinence aid such as a disposable diaper 62 as a sixth embodiment of a field-attenuating article in accordance with the present invention. Diaper 62 includes three layers: a liquid permeable inner sheet 64 next to the body, a liquid absorbent middle layer 66 next to collect and hold wastes, and a liquid impermeable outer sheet 68 (typically polypropylene) to prevent wastes from passing out of the diaper. In diaper 62, the outside surface of the outer sheet 68 is sprayed with an adueous mixture of 1% Tomah #Q-14-2 cationic quaternary, 6% isopropanol, and 93% water to provide a charge-transporting medium in the form of a conductive coating 70. Figures 10 and 11 show only a small area of the coating 70 on the sheet 68. The sprayed-on mixture quickly dries, and leaves a thin film on the outside of sheet 68 which can transport electrons as needed to attenuate encroaching electrostatic fields from sources on or off of the article. Placing the coating 70 on the outer sheet puts it out of contact with the very sensitive areas of the body covered by the diaper 62, and avoids any irritation. Alternatively, the coating 70 may be placed on the inside surface of the outer sheet 68 and also avoid skin contact. Yet, since the common construction of most disposable diapers (including diaper 62) seals the outer sheet to the inner sheet around the edges of the diaper to prevent leakage, the coated outer sheet 68 of diaper 62 is placed close to the body surface (and may indeed touch the body surfaces) at these sealed edges to provide capacitive coupling or grounding to the body and help attenuate encroaching electrostatic fields. As a cost saving measure, the coating 70 may be printed on the outer sheet 68, in a grid or other pattern, as opposed to a full cover coating. Figure 12 shows a seventh embodiment of a field-attenuating article in the form of a feminine napkin 72. Like diaper 62 of the previous embodiment, napkin 72 is constructed in three layers. A carbon loaded ink, such as #2513 from Mettech, Inc., Elverson, PA is printed on the outer sheet surface of the napkin 72 in approximately 1/32" wide by 25 micron thick parallel lines 74 to provide napkin 72 with a charge-transporting medium. The lines 74 are preferably about 1/4" apart. The close proximity of the body to these lines 74 at the sealed edges of the napkin 72 capacitively couples them to the body. If desired, one edge of the outer sheet may be folded over so the ink lines 74 contact the body in at least one location, such as on one thigh for example, so the body can be used as an electron sink or source. Furthermore, a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive may be applied on the outer sheet surface so the napkin 72 may be adhered to the panties to maintain its placement position. In such a situation, the charge-transporting medium may be inexpensively mixed with this adhesive before or as it is applied, using any appropriate equivalent of the previously discussed materials, and eliminate the additional operation of applying conductive ink. Alternately, conductive pressure-sensitive adhesives are available, such as inherently tacky conductive microparticles from 3M

Company, St. Paul, MN, which could be used in place of the standard adhesive to provide the benefits of the invention. In another noteworthy modification of the feminine napkin 68, solid internal charge dissipative compounds, such as Armostat (R) #475 from Armak Company, Brut, NY, or charge dissipative polymers, such as #C-2300 from BF Goodrich, Cleveland, OH, for example, may be blended with the outer sheet resin before sheet is extruded.

THE EIGHTH EMBODIMENT

Figure 13 illustrates an eighth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a method for using a field-attenuating article in accordance with the previous embodiments. In step 76, which is typically conducted by a physician, a patient is diagnosed with a disease, or threat of a disease. Suppose the diagnosed disease is a cancerous tumor in the patient's left breast. In step 78, one or more field-attenuating article are selected which will attenuate electrostatic fields before they reach the patient's left breast. The selection step may be conducted by the patient. The patient may, for example, select the brassiere 20 (see Figure 1) or the brassiere insert 40 (see Figure 4). Step 80 illustrates that the patient routinely wears the selected field-attenuating article by day and preferably also by night. During the night the patient may choose to forego a field-attenuating brassiere or brassiere insert in favor of a field- attenuating nightgown (not shown). The disease is treated in step 82. The treatment of the diagnosed cancer in the patient's left breast may consist, for example, of chemotherapy treatments, radiation treatments, or surgical procedures performed at a medical facility. The patient would ordinarily not wear a field-attenuating article during such a treatment and possibly for a period of time thereafter. For example, after a chemotherapy treatment accelerated cancer growth may be desirable in order to increase the therapeutic agent which enters the tumor, so it would not be prudent to wear a field-attenuating article at this time. In step 84 a check is made, typically by a physician, to gauge the progress of the treatment and determine whether the disease persists. If it does ("Y" at step 84), steps 80 and 82 are repeated. However if the disease does not persist ("N" at step 84), the patient may or may not continue to routinely wear a selected field-attenuating article in step 86. Step 86 is illustrated using dotted lines to indicate that it is optional.

Other methods for using field-attenuating articles may be employed. For example, a person may decide to wear or otherwise use field-attenuating articles as a prophylactic matter, even without a diagnosed disease. For example, a woman who smokes or whose mother had breast cancer may choose to wear a field-attenuating brassiere to avoid accelerating the growth of any breast cancer that may be present but undetected.

The mouse studies that were discussed previously establish that an electrostatic field can accelerate the growth of a cancer that already exists. The mouse studies fall short of establishing that exposure to an electrostatic field causes cancer to develop in the first place, from previously healthy tissue. However that possibility cannot be precluded at this point since it is clear that the influence of an electrostatic field extends into the body. Accordingly, people may choose to use field-attenuating articles even if they have no special susceptibility to cancer or any reason to believe that they may already have an as-yet-undetected cancer. The above noted specific suppliers, materials, and methods have been detailed simply to help illustrate and describe the invention, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or methods disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching, including the use of conducting threads to connect, to the body, a charge-transporting medium that would otherwise be coupled to the body only by capacitance. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A field-attenuating article for placement for covering at least a portion of the body of a person to protect at least the portion of the body covered by the field-attenuating article from electrostatic fields, said field-attenuating article comprising: a flexible member which is configured to conform generally with at least part of the portion of the body that is covered by the field-attenuating article; and a charge-transporting medium carried by the flexible member.

2. The field-attenuating article of claim 1, wherein the flexible member comprises fabric, and wherein the charge-transporting medium comprises conductive material carried by the fabric.

3. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of an intrinsically conductive polymer, an electrolytic agent, a polyelectrolyte agent, a hygroscopic agent, a carbon material, a metal material, and an ion-exchange agent.

4. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of a conductive surface active agent , conductive particle, conductive strand, conductive filament, conductive fiber, conductive flake, conductive coating, conductive sheet, conductive mat, and conductive substance integral to the flexible member.

5. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, comprising a brassiere.

6. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, comprising undershorts.

7. The field-attenuating article of claim 6, comprising panties.

8. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, comprising a body suit.

9. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, comprising a band.

10. The field-attenuating article of claim 9, wherein the band has a plurality of ends, and wherein the article further comprises means for joining the ends together.

11. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³ Ω/square.

12. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵ Ω/square.

13. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

14. The field-attenuating article of claim 2, wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

15. The field-attenuating article of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member comprises a monomer-based material, and wherein the charge-transporting medium comprises conductive material carried by the monomer-based material.

16. The field-attenuating article of claim 15, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of an intrinsically conductive polymer, an electrolytic agent, a polyelectrolyte agent, a hygroscopic agent, a carbon material, a metal material, and an ion-exchange agent.

17. The field-attenuating article of claim 15, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of a conductive surface active agent , conductive particle, conductive strand, conductive filament, conductive fiber, conductive flake, conductive coating, conductive sheet, conductive mat, and conductive substance integral to the monomer- based material.

18. The field-attenuating article of claim 15, comprising an incontinence aid.

19. The field-attenuating article of claim 18, wherein the incontinence aid is a disposable diaper.

20. The field-attenuating article of claim 15, comprising a sanitary napkin.

21. The field-attenuating article of claim 15, comprising a prosthesis.

22. The field-attenuating article of claim 11, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³ Ω/square.

23. The field-attenuating article of claim 11 , wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵ Ω/square.

24. The field-attenuating article of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

25. The field-attenuating article of claim 11 , wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

26. The field-attenuating member of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member comprises foamed material, and wherein the charge-transporting medium comprises conductive material carried by the foamed material.

27. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of an intrinsically conductive polymer, an electrolytic agent, a polyelectrolyte agent, a hygroscopic agent, a carbon material, a metal material, and an ion-exchange agent.

28. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group of materials consisting of a conductive surface active agent , conductive particle, conductive strand, conductive filament, conductive fiber, conductive flake, conductive coating, conductive sheet, conductive mat, and conductive substance integral to the foamed material.

29. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, comprising an insert for a brassiere.

30. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³ Ω/square.

31. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵ Ω/square.

32. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

33. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

34. The field-attenuating article of claim 1 , wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³ Ω/square.

35. The field-attenuating article of claim 1 , wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵

Ω/square.

36. The field-attenuating article of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

37. The field-attenuating article of claim 1 , wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

38. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³

Ω/square.

39. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵ Ω/square.

40. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

41. The field-attenuating article of claim 26, wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

42. A field-attenuating lining for an outer article to protect at least a portion of the body of a person covered by the field-attenuating lining from electrostatic fields, comprising: a flexible member, configured to conform generally with at least part of the portion of the body covered by the field-attenuating lining; and a charge-transporting medium carried by the flexible member.

43. The lining of claim 42, wherein the flexible member comprises fabric, and wherein the charge-transporting medium comprises conductive material carried by the fabric.

44. The lining of claim 43, wherein the charge-transporting medium is selected from the group of materials consisting of an intrinsically conductive polymer, an electrolytic agent, a polyelectrolyte agent, a hygroscopic agent, a carbon material, a metal material, and an ion-exchange agent.

45. The lining of claim 43, wherein the charge-transporting medium is selected from the group of materials consisting of a conductive surface active agent , conductive particle, conductive strand, conductive filament, conductive fiber, conductive flake, conductive coating, conductive sheet, conductive mat, and conductive substance integral to the lining.

46. The field-attenuating article of claim 42, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10¹³ Ω/square.

47. The field-attenuating article of claim 42, wherein the charge- transporting medium has a resistivity which does not exceed about 10⁵ Ω/square.

48. The field-attenuating article of claim 42, wherein at least a portion of the charge-transporting medium is in conductive contact with the body.

49. The field-attenuating article of claim 42, wherein the charge- transporting medium is capacitively coupled to the body.

50. A method for using a field-attenuating article which includes a flexible member and a charge-transporting medium carried by the flexible member, comprising the steps of:

(a) diagnosing a disease state in a region of the body of a person;

(b) at least partially covering at least a portion of the body region diagnosed as having a disease state with a field-attenuating article.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the disease state is presence of a disease.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the disease state is susceptibility to a disease.

53. A field-attenuating article used in the method of claim 51.

54. A field-attenuating article used in the method of claim 52.