Excerpt from
Colloidal Silver: The Natural Antibiotic
by Zane Baranowski, CN

This clearly written, informative publication thoroughly explains colloids, ways of making colloidal silver, early uses, rediscovering the universal antimicrobial, visual qualities, safety and effectiveness, and modern day uses. It also has an excellent bibliography with references and resources.

When properly prepared, colloidal silver is a completely non-toxic, tasteless, internally and externally applicable, broad-spectrum germ fighter and disinfectant which can significantly reduce the length and severity of many bacterial infections. For these reasons and more, colloidal silver should prove to be one of the greatest discoveries in preventive, natural health care of all time.

Discovering the Universal Antimicrobial
Silver is one of the most universal antibiotic substances. When administered in the colloidal form, it is for all practical purposes, non-toxic. Silver has been proven to be useful against hundreds of infectious conditions. Although the exact mechanism for the proven antimicrobial effects of silver is unknown, the most accepted theory is that silver disables the specific enzyme that many forms of bacteria, viruses and fungi utilize for their metabolism.

The Rediscovery of Colloidal Silver
The comeback of silver in medicine began in the 1970's. The late Dr. Carl Moyer, chairman of Washington University's Department of Surgery, received a grant to develop better treatments for burn victims. Dr. Margraf, as the chief biochemist, worked with Dr. Moyer and other surgeons to find an antiseptic strong enough, yet safe to use over large areas of the body. Dr. Margraf reviewed 22 antiseptic compounds and found drawbacks in all of them. "Mercury, for example, is an excellent antiseptic but toxic," he comments. "Popular antiseptics....can be used over small areas only." Furthermore, disease organisms can become resistant to antibiotics, triggering a dangerous super-infection. "These compounds are also ineffective against a number of harmful bacteria, including the biggest killer in burn cases - a greenish-blue bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It almost always shows up in burns, releasing a poison."

Reviewing medical literature, Dr. Margraf found repeated references to silver. It was described as a catalyst that disables the enzymes microorganisms depend on to "breathe." Consequently, they die.

Therefore, Dr. Margraf decided to use the best known compound of silver: silver nitrate, Concentrated silver nitrate was corrosive and painful. So he diluted the silver nitrate to a .5 percent solution and found that it killed the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and permitted wounds to heal. Resistant strains did not appear. Silver nitrate, however, was far from ideal. It disturbed the balance of body salts, was thick and cumbersome to use and stained everything it touched. Dr. Margraf searched for other preparations of silver. As a result of these efforts, hundreds of important new medical uses for silver were found. Medical journal reports from the early 1900's demonstrated a properly prepared colloid of silver was the only form of silver solution that was not deposited under the skin, no matter how many times the proper amount was administered.

There were still skeptics. Some of the negative reaction that colloidal silver received in the early 1900's, "was due to a premature supply of improperly prepared and unstable colloids... Shortly after the definite recognition of the colloidal nature of the chief body fluids was effected, the enormous possibilities which might result from the application of colloidal disinfectants and medicines were rapidly recognized.".A number of colloidal substances were placed on the market in this country and elsewhere.

N. R. Thompson recognized that, "To primitive life forms, oligodynamic silver is as toxic as the most powerful chemical disinfectants and this, coupled with its relative harmlessness to animate life (i.e. mammals), gives it great potential as a disinfectant."

Based on laboratory tests with colloidal silver, destructive bacteria, virus, and fungus organisms are killed within minutes of contact, Larry C. Ford, M.D, of the Department of Ohstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine, Center For The Health Sciences reported in a letter dated November 1, 1988, "I tested them (the silver solutions) using standard antimicrobial tests for disinfectants. The silver solutions were antibacterial for concentrations of 10' organisms per ml. of Streptococcus Pyogenes, Staphylococcus Aurcus, Neisseria Gonorrhea, Gardnerella Vaginalis, Salmonella Typhi, and other enteric pathogens, and fungicidal for Candida Albicans, Candida Globata, and M. Furfur."

Jim Powell reported in a Science Digest article March, 1978, titled, "Our Mightiest Germ Fighter", "Thanks to eye-opening research, silver is emerging as a wonder of modern medicine. An antibiotic kills perhaps a half-dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills some 650. Resistant strains fail to develop, Moreover, silver is virtually non-toxic." Dr. Harry Margraf of St. Louis concluded "Silver is the best all around germ-fighter we have."

The Future
The future of colloidal silver is bright. Hopefully with today's technological advances, we can avoid the past mistakes and benefit from its wide range of advantages to prevent and treat infectious disorders.

Although reports on the use of colloidal silver have spanned the past 100 years, research relating to its recent use is limited. However, through a growing number of physicians, dentists, veterinarians, nutritionists and satisfied users, information regarding the modern day uses of colloidal silver is mounting.

This information in no way 'proves' colloidal silver 'cures' infectious disorders or disease, and this claim should not be made by any reputable colloidal silver manufacturer. However it is proven that colloidal silver does have tremendous antimicrobial power; the history of safe and successful colloidal silver use is extensive, and the number of current health professionals and individuals that successfully utilize colloidal silver to reduce the length and severity of infectious disorders is growing exponentially.

Overall, it seems that the effective and safe use of colloidal silver in the treatment of dozens of common infectious disorders is only limited by the imagination and creativity of those afflicted.