Robert Otto Becker (May 31, 1923 − May 14, 2008) was a U.S.

orthopedic Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

and researcher in

electrophysiology Electrophysiology (from ee the Electron#Etymology, etymology of "electron" ; and ) is the branch of physiology that studies the electrical properties of biological cell (biology), cells and tissues. It involves measurements of voltage change ...

/ electromedicine. He worked mainly as professor at Upstate Medical Center in

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY ) is a system of Public education, public colleges and universities in the New York (state), State of New York. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, larges ...

Syracuse Syracuse most commonly refers to: * Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse * Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area Syracuse may also refer to: Places * Syracuse railway station (disambiguation) Italy * Provi ...

, and as Director of

Orthopedic Surgery Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

at the

Veterans Administration Hospital Veterans' health care in the United States is separated geographically into 19 regions (numbered 1, 2, 4–10, 12 and 15–23)In January 2002, the Veterans Health Administration announced the merger of VISNs 13 and 14 to create a new, combined n ...

, Syracuse, New York. Becker was known for his work in

bioelectricity Developmental bioelectricity is the regulation of cell, tissue, and organ-level patterning and behavior by electrical signals during the development of embryonic animals and plants. The charge carrier in developmental bioelectricity is the io ...

and leading the early opposition to high-voltage power lines. He has been named as one of the most influential figures in the area of anti- EMF activism.

Early life

Becker was born May 31, 1923, in

River Edge, New Jersey River Edge is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,049, an increase of 709 (+6.3%) from the 2010 census count of 11,340, which in turn reflected an i ...

to Otto Julius Becker and Elizabeth Blanck. He earned a bachelor's degree from

Gettysburg College Gettysburg College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about ...

in 1946 and a medical degree from the

New York University School of Medicine The New York University Grossman School of Medicine is a medical school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1841 and is one of two medical schools of the university, the other being the NYU G ...

in 1948. Becker was an

intern An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used to practice for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and g ...

at New York's

Bellevue Hospital Bellevue Hospital (officially NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and formerly known as Bellevue Hospital Center) is a hospital in New York City and the oldest public hospital in the United States. One of the largest hospitals in the United States ...

, then completed a residency at

Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...

. Serving in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946, during World War II. Becker also served from 1951 to 1953 in the

United States Army Medical Corps The Medical Corps (MC) of the U.S. Army is a staff corps (non-combat specialty branch) of the U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an M.D. or a D.O. degree, at least o ...

. On September 14, 1946, Becker married Lillian Janet Moller in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. About an hour from New York City by train, the town ...

. They resided in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Valley Stream, New York Valley Stream is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York (state), New York, United States. The population in the Village of Valley Stream was 40,634 at the tim ...

before settling in the late 1950s in Syracuse where Becker joined the SUNY Upstate Medical Center.

Research

Becker has been credited with furthering the scientific community's awareness of

electric potential Electric potential (also called the ''electric field potential'', potential drop, the electrostatic potential) is defined as electric potential energy per unit of electric charge. More precisely, electric potential is the amount of work (physic ...

s in organisms. His work showed that living

organisms An organism is any living thing that functions as an individual. Such a definition raises more problems than it solves, not least because the concept of an individual is also difficult. Many criteria, few of them widely accepted, have been pr ...

and animals show a

direct current Direct current (DC) is one-directional electric current, flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor (material), conductor such as a wire, but can also flow throug ...

electric charge Electric charge (symbol ''q'', sometimes ''Q'') is a physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. Electric charge can be ''positive'' or ''negative''. Like charges repel each other and ...

which is measurable from their body surface. In the 1960s Becker's research also showed that living bone can piezoelectrically generate electric potentials, which led to work on using electricity in the treatment of ununited fractures. Ultimately, however, the use of

electrotherapy Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment. In medicine, the term ''electrotherapy'' can apply to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological disea ...

for increasing bone healing has not been shown to be effective. Becker believed that

extrasensory perception Extrasensory perception (ESP), also known as a sixth sense, or cryptaesthesia, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was ad ...

could occur from

extremely low frequency Extremely low frequency (ELF) is the ITU designation for electromagnetic radiation (radio waves) with frequencies from 3 to 30 Hz, and corresponding wavelengths of 100,000 to 10,000 kilometers, respectively. In atmospheric sc ...

(ELF) waves.

The Body Electric

''The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life'' is a 1985 book by Becker and Gary Selden in which Becker, an orthopedic surgeon at SUNY Upstate working for the

Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

, described his research into "our bioelectric selves".

Overview

The first part of the book discusses

regeneration Regeneration may refer to: Science and technology * Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs * Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis ...

, primarily in

salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...

s and

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

s. Becker studied regeneration after

lesion A lesion is any damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by injury or diseases. The term ''Lesion'' is derived from the Latin meaning "injury". Lesions may occur in both plants and animals. Types There is no de ...

s such as limb

amputation Amputation is the removal of a Limb (anatomy), limb or other body part by Physical trauma, trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as cancer, malign ...

, and hypothesized that

electric field An electric field (sometimes called E-field) is a field (physics), physical field that surrounds electrically charged particles such as electrons. In classical electromagnetism, the electric field of a single charge (or group of charges) descri ...

s played an important role in controlling the regeneration process. He mapped the

s at various body parts during the regeneration, showing that the central part of the body normally was positive, and the limbs were negative. When a limb of a salamander or frog was amputated, the voltage at the cut (measured relative to the central part of the body) changed from about -10 mV (

millivolt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). Definition One volt is defined as the electric potential between two points ...

s) to +20 mV or more the next day—a phenomenon called ''the current of injury''. In a frog, the voltage would simply change to the normal negative level in four weeks or so, and no limb regeneration would take place. In a salamander, however, the voltage would during the first two weeks change from the +20 mV to -30 mV, and then normalize (to -10 mV) during the next two weeks—and the limb would be regenerated. Becker then found that regeneration could be improved by applying electricity at the wound when there was a negative potential outside the amputation stub. He also found that bone has

piezoelectric Piezoelectricity (, ) is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials—such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA, and various proteins—in response to applied stress (mechanics), mechanical s ...

properties which would cause an application of force to generate a healing current, which stimulated growth at stress locations in accordance with

Wolff's law Wolff's law, developed by the German anatomist and surgeon Julius Wolff (surgeon), Julius Wolff (1836–1902) in the 19th century, states that bone in a healthy animal will adapt to the loads under which it is placed. If loading on a particular ...

. In another part of the book Becker described potentials and

magnetic field A magnetic field (sometimes called B-field) is a physical field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular ...

s in the nervous system, taking into account external influences like earth magnetism and

solar wind The solar wind is a stream of charged particles released from the Sun's outermost atmospheric layer, the Stellar corona, corona. This Plasma (physics), plasma mostly consists of electrons, protons and alpha particles with kinetic energy betwee ...

s. He measured the electrical properties along the skin surface, and concluded that at least the major parts of the

acupuncture Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientif ...

charts had an objective basis in reality. In the last chapters of the book, Becker recounts his experiences as a member of an expert committee evaluating the physiological hazards of various

electromagnetic pollution Electromagnetic radiation can be classified into two types: ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation, based on the capability of a single photon with more than 10 eV energy to ionize atoms or break chemical bonds. Extreme ultravi ...

s. He presents research data which indicate that the deleterious effects are stronger than officially assumed. His contention is that the experts choosing the pollution limits are strongly influenced by the polluting industry. In 1998 Becker filed a patent for an iontopheretic system for stimulation of tissue healing and

. The title of the book is a reference to the fiction anthology ''I Sing the Body Electric'' by

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...

, itself a reference to the

poem Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

of the same name by

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman Jr. (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist; he also wrote two novels. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and world literature. Whitman incor ...

Response

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'' called it "a highly informative book ... for educated lay readers". ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' said that "speculative and heated" conclusions "vitiate much of the interesting, well-documented material". ''

The Sciences ''The Sciences'' was a magazine published from 1961 to 2001 by the New York Academy of Sciences. Each issue contained articles that discussed science issues with cultural relevance, illustrated with fine art and an occasional cartoon. The perio ...

'' found that it was superficially well-told but with basic scientific errors and showing a lack of knowledge about recent biology. A short-form review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' said it "ends with a proposal for a new

vitalism Vitalism is a belief that starts from the premise that "living organisms are fundamentally different from non-living entities because they contain some non-physical element or are governed by different principles than are inanimate things." Wher ...

Awards

In 1964, Becker received the William S. Middleton Award from the research and development agency of the United States Veterans Health Administration. The official research history of the SUNY Upstate Medical Center also states that Becker was awarded "the Nicolas Andry Award by the American Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons in 1979".

Later life

In the years prior to his death, Becker lived in

Lowville, New York Lowville is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 4,888 at the 2020 census,

. He died in Lowville's Lewis County General Hospital due to complications of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

on May 14, 2008.

Published works

Books * ''Electromagnetism and Life.'' State University of New York Press, Albany 1982, * ''The Body Electric. Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life'' (with Gary Selden). Morrow, New York 1985, * ''Cross Currents. The Promise of Electromedicine, the Perils of Electropollution.'' Torcher, Los Angeles 1990, As publisher * ''Mechanisms of Growth Control,'' edited by Robert O. Becker. Thomas, Springfield 1981, Selected papers

PubMed PubMed is an openly accessible, free database which includes primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institute ...

contains 91 listings for Becker RO. The listings below are some of those for which Becker is first author.
Search for Evidence of Axial Current Flow in Peripheral Nerves of Salamander
Becker RO. Science. 1961 Jul 14;134(3472):101-2.
Longitudinal direct-current gradients of spinal nerves
Becker RO, Bachman CH, Slaughter WH. Nature. 1962 Nov 17;196:675-6.

Becker RO. Nature. 14 January 1972;235(5333):109-11.
Electron paramagnetic resonance in non-irradiated bone
Becker RO. Nature. 1963 Sep 28;199:1304-5.
Photoelectric effects in human bone
Becker RO, Brown FM. Nature. 1965 Jun 26;206(991):1325-8.
Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of bone and its major components
Becker RO, Marino AA. Nature. 1966 May 7;210(5036):583-8.
Stimulation of partial limb regeneration in rats
Becker RO. Nature. 1972 Jan 14;235(5333):109-11.
Electrical stimulation of partial limb regeneration in mammals
Becker RO, Spadaro JA. Bull N Y Acad Med. 1972 May;48(4):627-41.
Regeneration of the ventricular myocardium in amphibians
Becker RO, Chapin S, Sherry R. Nature. 1974 Mar 8;248(444):145-7.

Patents

Iontopheretic system for stimulation of tissue healing and regeneration US 5814094 A 1998

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becker, Robert O. 1923 births 1998 non-fiction books 2008 deaths American medical researchers Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies Deaths from pneumonia in New York (state) Gettysburg College alumni New York University Grossman School of Medicine alumni American parapsychologists People from River Edge, New Jersey State University of New York faculty American orthopedic surgeons United States Army Medical Corps officers United States Army personnel of World War II State University of New York Upstate Medical University faculty 20th-century American surgeons Military personnel from Bergen County, New Jersey People from Lowville, New York Academics from Syracuse, New York