[Jewelry making - Article 00361] - Re: [Orchid] Ultrasonic cleaner and damage to hands

[Judy Pottins]

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    It is human nature to give little credence to something that is
    "unseen". For example, you can't see ultrasonic waves (except the
    motion of the water in the machine) therefore it doesn't exist. You
    can't see nitrogen gases dissolved in water therefore "the bends"
    doesn't exist.  You can't see carcinogens in the smoke of burning
    tobacco, therefore it doesn't exist. Human experience is confined to
    the immediate, tangible and apparent. But if something is
    inapparent, non-seen, non-tangible; it doesn't exist. That is what
    the Scientific Method is all about. Someone hypothesizes that
    something exists (the bends, ghosts, carcinogens in cigarette smoke)
    and sets about trying to prove it. You can't see E. Coli in water:
    the water tastes absolutely perfect but it's there and enough people
    died to prove it. Ultrasonic waves can be used to break down calculi,
    it stands to reason, that, with enough energy, ultrasonic waves can
    probably  do damage to sensitive tissue. Just because one can't see
    the damage, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. So, the ultrasonic
    machine that we use to clean instruments here, though the waves are
    fairly low energy, and it appears to not do damage to my hands
    immediately when I put them in the water, I can't know what may or
    may not happen down the road, therefore I'll avoid putting them in
    the ultrasonic machine in the future until proven otherwise. I
    remember a certain jewelery instructor (not Gerry) who said that
    certain things we do in the class all the time were definitely not
    toxic and I know now this to be not true. She didn't know. She
    wasn't going out of her way to hurt me, but now I err on the side of
    safety knowing that people are usually not perfect. I rely on no
    one. And that may be the best way to be. 



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