#assuming email_address was declared and currently has no escapes
 #print "from is $from_string\n";
    $email_address =~ s/@/\@/;
    $from_string   =~ s/@/\@/;

    open( SENDMAIL, "|/usr/lib/sendmail -oi -t" )
        or die "Can't fork for sendmail: $!\n";
    print SENDMAIL <<"EOF";
From: $from_string
To: $email_address
Subject: $subject
Content-type: text/html
$$textref
EOF
    close(SENDMAIL) or warn "sendmail didn't close nicely";
    print qq ( email sent to $email_address\n);