By: Steve LaFontaine
http://educate-yourself.org/cs/csarticle3.shtml
Silver has been used in healing as far back in recorded time as 4000
BC. Persian records mention the practice of keeping water in silver vessels.
The ancient Babylonian and Greek civilizations were aware of silver's ability
to disinfect. Colloidal Silver was used as a remedy as far back as ancient
Egypt. It continued to be used in the Middle Ages to treat wounds.
The Romans reported the use of silver compounds for medical treatment.
Before the days of refrigeration, silverware or a silver coin was kept
in the drinking water and the milk to prevent spoilage. Silverware became
prized for the preparation,serving and storage of foods because it was
recognized that food processed in silver vessals stored longer and was
less likely to cause illness.
The March 1978 issue of Science Digest had an article called Silver
Our Mightiest Germ Fighter in which they stated that more than half of
the world's airlines use silver treated water as the method of choice for
protecting passengers from water-born diseases.
It is accepted fact that the best, and usually the most expensive, water
treatment system filters contain silver. Additionally, the article quoted
Dr. Harry Margraf, St. Louis Missouri, as saying "Thanks to eye opening
research, silver is emerging as a wonder of modern medicine. An antibiotic
kills perhaps half dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills
some 650. Resistant strains fail to develop...silver is the best all around
germ fighter we have." Indeed no known bacteria have developed an immunity
to silver.
According to the encyclopedia " The element silver exhibits bactericidal
properties not fully understood, although these are thought to be a result
of its ability to absorb oxygen. Colloidal silver is used as an antiseptic,
germicide, astringent, caustic and for water sterilization and to arrest
hemorrhaging by coagulating the blood. Astringents act by shrinking tissues
and reducing the permeability (passage of gas or liquid) of membranes.
They may be used internally to diminish mucous secretion in a sore throat,
check diarrhea, or reduce stomach acid secretion. Externally, they are
used for conditions such as cold sores, poison ivy, or hemorrhoids and
as antiseptic deodorizers eliminating odor-causing microorganisms." As
recently as 1953 the official Handbook of the Hospital Corps of the United
States Navy stated;
Silver compounds have a wide variety of uses as caustics, astringents,
antiseptics, and germicides. Their activity resides in the silver ion,
which is a protein precipitant. It is toxic to bacteria by precipitating
the protein in the bacteria protoplasm. Colloidal silver preparations,
in which the silver does not exist to any large extent as free ions, act
by the milder and sustained antiseptic effect brought about by the formation
of a protein silver compound which slowly liberates small amounts of ionic
silver. Colloidial silver compounds, contain very little ionizable silver
. Use of any silver preparation over a long period may cause permanent
blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes, (particularly the
lips and under the fingernails) known as Argyria. There are no known adverse
health effects of Argyria. The colloidal silver preparations contain high
concentrations of silver, largely in non-ionized form. Their antiseptic
value depends on the activity of the free silver ions and not on their
content. They do not precipitate protein but penetrate the tissues. Those
mentioned here are silver proteins and silver halides.
Colloidal silver preparations are used as antiseptics, particularly
for application to the mucous membranes of the eye, nose, throat, urethra,
bladder, and colon. They are commonly used for infections of the upper
respiratory tract. They are also effective as prophylaxis against gonorrehea,
in urethral irrigations about 1 hour after exposure.They are prepared in
the form of solutions, ointments, swabs, suppositories, and tampons.
Bacteria are developing immunities to modern specialized antibiotics
at an alarming rate. The medical community has acknowledged this publicly
for years. The Los Angeles Times reported in an article titled Arsenal
of Antibiotics Failing as Resistant Bacteria Develop October 23,1994 "But
in the last decade, a broad resistance to antibiotics has begun to emerge.
And because bacteria can transfer genes among themselves experts only expect
the resistance to grow. The potential nightmare is an Andromeda strain,
a super-microbe immune to all antibiotics that could wreck havoc." UCLA
Medical Center has reported that "colloidal silver ... killed every virus
that was tested in the lab."
Colloidal silver is considered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
to be a pre-l938 drug. The drug companies lobbied for this and were successful,
because it was more profitable to manufacture 'designer" antibiotics that
only killed six to eight "bugs." It is known that prior to 1938. colloidal
silver was administered in just about every way that modern drugs are used
today. These uses included intravenously, orally and topically, i.e. throat
gargle, eye drops, douche, open wounds and burns, for which it is particularly
effective due to it's combined disinfectant and astrigent properties. It
protects the highly suseptable burn tissue from infection while promoting
rapid healing.
Contemporary medical tests indicate no known adverse effects from the
use of properly prepared colloidal silver, and there has never been a recorded
case of drug interaction or reaction with any other medication. It succeesfully
reduces the length and severity of infectious disorders. This is of immense
importance in view of recent reports that infectious disease is the third
largest killer on the planet.
Colloidal Silver consists of molecules or pure silver suspended electrically
In clean drinking water. Today it is made by driving lightning into fine
silver. This process tears the silver molecules apart and deposits them
with a high electrical charge into the water. The highest grade colloidal
silver is made from .999 silver in 99% distilled water. Colloidal Silver
destroys bacteria and simple infections, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites
while protecting the natural enzymes of the body.
Colloidal Silver has been used successfully against 650 diseases. including,
arthritis; athletes foot bacterial pheumonia: bladder infections; blood
parasites; boils; cancer; candida; diabetes; hay fever; herpes; leukemia;
lupis; lyme disease: psoriasis; rheumatism; ringworm: staph and streph
infections: septic conditions of the eyes, ears, mouth and throat; shingles;
skin cancer; ulcers and tonsilitis.
Colloidal Silver can be applied to cuts. scrapes. bug bites. and skin
conditions such as acne and eczema and is so safe that it is a common practice
in American hospitals for doctors to put a few drops in the eyes of newborn
babies to kill bacteria that can cause blindness .
While analyzing hair samples Dr. Robert Beiker noticed a correlation
between low silver levels and sickness. He believed that a silver deficiency
was the reason for the improper functioning of the immune system. Dr. Beckers
experiments concluded that silver works on a wide range of bacteria without
any adverse side effects and without damage to the cells of the body.
Dr Beiker also states that in the presence of the silver ion, cancer
cells change back to normal cells, regardless of their location in the
body.
Today. with advances in technology the manufacture of colloidal silver
is far advanced and superior to the antiquated grind method that was most
popular pre-l938. The most advantageous and highest quality colloidal silver
is a result of the electro-colloidall non-chemical procedure using the
electric-arc technique. This method allows for the concentration of colloidal
silver to be measured in parts per million (PPM). The best way to ascertain
if a product is a true colloidal silver is by reviewing the ingredients.
Additives or stabilizers may make the product unsuitable. Refrigeration
may indicate that there is an ingredient (additive) that might spoil at
room temperature. Long term stability is an important aspect of colloidal
silver. Trying to impress the public, some companies go for a higher concentration
of the silver, but then necessity requires that they use stabilizers or
a protein to bond the silver. The major problem with the use of stabilizers
and proteins is that they reduce the antimicrobial benefits by bonding
to the silver, and so therefore contain higher levels of silver to compensate
for this reduced effectiveness. This is where great caution should be taken.
Consuming hundreds of times the recommended amount of stabilized silver
may result in Argyria (the discoloration of the skin due to silver deposits).
There are no known documented cases of Argyria from the use of pure (no
stabilizers or additives) electro colloidal silver. Of special note, there
is an inherent electrical charge in the hydro-carbon molecule of plastic
containers. This draws the silver out of solution, binding it to the walls
of the container.
It is also sesitive to light and heat. Therefore. storage of colloidal
silver should be in colored glass, in a cool dark place but not in the
refrigerator.
Colloidal silver is not "germ specific" like the prescription antibiotics
available today. It has a long shelf life (as long as it is stored properly)
and, possibly the best thing about Colloidal Silver is that it is available
without a visit to your doctor !!
All information posted on this web site is
the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only.
It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor
can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer
of your choice for medical care and advice.