THE HISTORY OF MAGNETS Theories revolving around magnetism and biomagnetism go back to 200 B.C. when a Greek physician named Galen first documented the use of magnets for health purposes. Almost all cultures, including the people of India, China, Australian aborigines and native Africans have been using magnets for centuries. There are even paintings that suggest magnets were used in ancient Egyptian ceremonies by the high priests. By the year 1600, Queen Elizabeth's court physician, William Gilbert, had published his famous work De Magnete, which attested to the use of magnets to treat a variety of illnesses. In the mid-1800's we began to use the term biomagnetism, which describes the reaction of living organisms to the Earth's magnetic field as well as to artificial magnets with similar intensities. The unit used to measure a magnetic field's intensity is called a Gauss, after Carl Friedrich Gauss, and refers to the centimeter-gram-second measurement system. Gauss's name was chosen to describe the measurement after inventing a device that could measure magnetic induction, called the Magnetometer. Throughout the 20th Century more and more methods of measuring magnetism emerged. Thanks to these scientists we can now measure magnetism in plants, the human body, including the heart and even atoms. Today magnetism is present in almost every part of our lives, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI's), transportation systems, personal computers, and all audio and video systems. Ghanshyam Singh Birla and Colette Hemlin, Magnet Therapy: The Gentle and Effective Way to Balance Body Systems, pages 6-16 HOW MAGNETISM WORKS When a magnet is suspended in mid-air it will always end up facing the same direction. The south pole of the magnet will end up facing the geographical North Pole, and the north pole of the magnet will end up facing the geographical South Pole. This is the same principle that allows a compass to work. Magnetic poles are interesting in that when a magnet is broken in two, the pieces become their own magnets. So, if a magnet is broken into 7 smaller pieces, you now have 7 magnets, each with its own north and south pole. When using magnets for therapeutic purposes, it is important to keep the different poles in mind. The north pole of a magnet has soothing effects, while the south pole has energizing effects. For medical purposes it is thought that over time, we have less exposure to the Earth's natural magnetic field. The strength of this field has lessened by half over the past 500 years and is expected to decrease by 5% every 100 years. That means that we will be without any magnetic field from the earth 2000 years from now. In addition, most electronics are thought to emit electromagnetic radiation which further affects the natural magnetic field found in humans. Magnetic therapy can help to restore the natural magnetic field that humans were originally exposed to. Ghanshyam Singh Birla and Colette Hemlin, Magnet Therapy: The Gentle and Effective Way to Balance Body Systems, pages 59-61, 32-36 Ron Lawrence, M.D., PH.D., Paul Rosch, M.D., F.A.C.P., and Judith Plowden, Magnetic Therapy: The Pain Cure Alternative BAILEY THERAPEUTIC MAGNET HANDBAGS The magnets used in your BAILEY handbag are naturally occurring neodymium discs. This means that it is a naturally charged magnet that never loses its charge. They are also some of the strongest magnets available. The magnetic intensity measures at 12,300 gauss which can penetrate 6 inches into your body. These discs are placed in the straps of the handbag providing a variety of benefits. Aside from an overall sense of well-being, these magnets can focus in on your shoulder muscles, where many people hold tension. The magnets are also close to the contents of your handbag which may contain items that are emitting electromagnetic radiation. This radiation is harmful to your body but, can be balanced by the magnetic field given off through the straps of your handbag. It is also beneficial to hold the magnets against your body for a period of time and then take them off. This is simulated when carrying a handbag. The bag will be against your body when carrying it, and then the magnets are removed when you place the bag down when you arrive at your destination. We have found that BAILEY handbags provide an excellent way to provide your body with the proper frequency and amount of magnetic therapy to have an overall positive effect on your body. Enjoy! IMPORTANT INFORMATION Never use magnets on someone who has a pacemaker. Do not apply strong magnets near the heart without proper medical advice. Do not use magnets on pregnant women or children under two years of age. The BAILEY handbag is not meant to be used as a substitute for any medical treatment.