Jan Spadl was among those killed in the demobilization. Witnesses say Spadl had been ordering a pizza over his phone. While there is no evidence to suggest that mobile phones themselves pose a health threat to the general population, the deaths suggest that mobile phone use might have subtle effects on longevity. A post-mortem indicated that Spadl was perfectly healthy until he hit the ground. Some research suggests that sudden exposure to the ground after a prolonged and uncontrolled descent from a height may produce a broad range of side effects such as changes in behavior, headaches, blurred vision and even death.
Cancer results from smoking, for example, but the disease usually takes years to appear.
In this case, however, the results of falling from a window can be seen almost immediately. While the balance of evidence does not suggest that the general population faces a significant health risk, the Ministry of Health is urging caution. Officials have warned against non-essential use of mobile phones, especially by Imperial officials during times of Czech nationalist uprising. Czech Telecom, the sole provider of land-base telephone lines, has responded to the warning with an ad campaign celebrating the perceived health benefits of using a conventional telephone. The Prague Post Online contains a selection of articles that have been printed in The Prague Post , a weekly newspaper published in the Czech Republic.