Nature’s Silver Lining
Natural Protection from Bioterrorism with Colloidal Silver
by Robert Ross
 Though silver is completely non-toxic to humans and animals, it is deadly to numerous micro-organisms. With a 6000-year long history of medical uses, silver has been used for healing wounds, treating infections, purifying water and preserving beverages. Ancient Macedonians covered wounds with silver plates to speed healing (1), and silver has been utilized by ancient Mediterranean and Asiatic cultures to preserve beverages and treat wounds and broken bones.(2)
Modern silver use began in 1893. To disease-causing microbes, silver is as toxic as the most powerful chemical disinfectants, giving it great potential as a disinfectant and antibiotic. From 1900 to the beginning of the modern antibiotic era (around the 1940’s), silver was regularly used in medical practice throughout Europe and America to treat hundreds of ailments, from lung infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis (3) to sexual diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis (4). In 1939 there were at least 94 different proprietary silver preparations in use (7). However, with the advent of antibiotics, silver was replaced by sulfa drugs, penicillin and eventually hundreds of specialized antibiotics. But although some major diseases appear to have been wiped out, germs previously controlled by the new antibiotics began to “evolve,” developing immunities to these antibiotics. This created 'super-germs', like killer E. coli, 'flesh-eating' streptococcus, antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis and chloroguine-resistant malaria (8,9). The over-prescription of antibiotics, the failure of patients to take the full prescription and the widespread use of low-level antibiotics in animal feed to increase corporate farm profits have all contributed to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (8,9). In 1992, 13,300 hospital patients died in the U.S. of bacterial infections that resisted the usual antibiotics. (8). Thanks to NAFTA, widespread international air travel, eco-tourism to exotic third-world lands and the extensive migration of third-world people to Europe and America, many exotic diseases that were once isolated are now found everywhere (8,9). Malaria and dysentery, for example, were once unheard of in America, but are is now here.
Bio-Terrorism
Biowarfare and terrorism experts have been warning us for years that it is only a matter of time before germ warfare is let loose in Europe or America (10). Sadly, with the recent exposures of anthrax, that time has actually arrived! And anthrax is not even one of the most dangerous super germs that have already been produced in labs, which are often genetically altered to make them even more resistant to antibiotics.(10). Colloidal silver, in liquid solution and as an aerosol, has been known to be extremely toxic to Anthrax spores since 1887 (1,10,11,12). Also, according to the medical literature, various forms of Silver, even at surprisingly low concentrations, routinely kills germs that are known to be antibiotic-resistant (11,13,19,20).
Antibiotics may not be able to adequately protect us from a serious bioterrorism attack from resistant, weaponized micro-organisms.. Most antibiotics are effective against only a few specific diseases. Even broad-spectrum antibiotics kill only 10-20 different types of bacteria. Antibiotics that kill bacteria will not kill fungus/yeasts, protozoal parasites or viruses. Antifungal agents will not kill bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. And virtually all viruses are immune to antibiotics. However silver, unique among all antimicrobial agents, has been claimed to kill some 650 different disease organisms (13). And unlike antibiotics, silver effectively kills all major types of germs, including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, fungus/yeasts, viruses and protozoal parasites. Silver sulfadiazine is used in hospitals to prevent serious burn infections (11), killing dozens of different bacteria (11,14,16). It also kills almost all of the different strains of herpes (15), as well as the parasite that causes malaria (17) and many types of yeast, including Candida albicans (18,20,23). Colloidal silver has been shown to kill Providencia stuartii, a germ resistant in the 1970's to virtually all antibiotics (19), as well as two strains of Enterobacter cloacae that were relatively resistant (20). Colloidal silver has been shown to kill cysts of the common water-borne protozoal parasite Entamoeba histolytica (22) and was shown to even be effective in killing Polio virus in swimming pool water at the extremely low concentration of 0.015mg Silver per liter of water (15 parts per billion!) (21). In short, as pioneering silver researcher Dr. Henry Margraf once said, "Silver is the best all round germ-fighter we have." (13).
Given the broad range of silver's effectiveness and it's high degree of safety, you might wonder why Silver isn't used by every doctor and hospital today. The honest answer is that the medical-industrial complex would lose money. A single pill of a modern antibiotic such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), the antibiotic typically used to treat anthrax, often sells for $10-20.00 – the price of a whole bottle of colloidal silver. Doctors sometimes use “argyria” as an excuse for not using silver. Argyria is a permanent bluish-grey tinge to the skin that occurs from accumulation of silver under the skin after prolonged excessive exposure. Although not pretty, argyria is actually harmless, and it would take more than 10 years of daily use to cause. The actual risk of argyria from occasional use of silver to treat specific infections is virtually non-existent.
Silver may be snorted into the nostrils from a nasal squirt-bottle for sinus infections, to abort head-colds or as a prophylactic after suspected exposure to bacteria spores. A dilute Silver solution (5-10PPM) may be dropped into the eyes to treat conjunctivitis or to soothe inflamed, itchy eyes (there may be a brief initial mild stinging sensation). Silver may be swabbed or rubbed, possibly mixed with aloe vera gel, onto minor burns, cuts, scrapes, wounds, etc. to promote healing and prevent infection. Silver can be massaged into gums several times daily for dental infections. Silver is useful for animal infections as well, although the dosage should be adjusted depending on the size of the animal. Since the 1930's, silver has been used to impregnate water filters to kill germs in the water or which might grow in the filter medium (11,12,21). Protozoal parasites (Giardia, Entamoeba, Paramecia, etc.) may require higher levels - e.g. 5-30 PPM (22). To purify water add 1 to 3 teaspoons of 10-50 PPM silver to a pint of water; stir thoroughly and let stand for several hours. This is only a general guideline - when in doubt increase the dosage as you see fit.
SOME SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES ON SILVER
1) H. Bechhold, Colloids in Biology and Medicine, N.Y.: D. van Nostrand, 1919, pp. 364-76.
2) N.R. Thompson, Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 5, ch.28, Elmsford, N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1973.
3) B. Duhamel (1912) "Electric Metal Colloids and Their Therapeutical Applications" Lancet, Jan. 13.
4) A. Searle, The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease, London: Constable & Co., 1920, pp67-111.
5) A. Legge Roe (1915) "Collosol Argentum and its Opthalmis Uses" Br. Med. J., Jan.16, 104.
6) G. van Amber Brown (1916) "Colloidal Silver in Sepsis" Am. J. Obstetrics, Jan-June, 136-141.
7) W. Hill & D. Pillsbury, Argyria - The Pharmacology of Silver, Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1939.
8) S. Begley (1994) "The End of Antibiotics" Newsweek, Mar. 28, 46-51.
9) J. Fisher, The Plague Makers, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
10) D. Long & S. Spencer Jones, Bioterrorism: Secrets for Surviving the Coming Terrorist Germ Warfare Attacks on U.S. Cities, Barstow, CA: Life & Health Research Group, 1998.
11) N. Grier (1983) "Silver and Its Compounds" in Disinfection, Sterilization and Preservation, S. Block, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 380-428.
12) I. Romans (1954) "Silver Compounds" & "Oligodynamic Metals" in Antiseptics, Disinfectants, Fungicides and Chemical and Physical Sterilization, G. Reddish, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 380-428.
13) J. Powell (1978) "Our Mightiest Germ Fighter" Sci. Digest, Mar., 57-60.
14) H. Carr et al (1973) "Silver Sulfadiazine: In Vitro Antibacterial Activity" Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 4, 585-87.
15) T.-W. Chang & L. Weinstein (1975) "Prevention of Herpes Keratoconjunctivitis in Rabbits by Silver Sulfadiazine" 8, 677-78.
16) T.-W. Chang & L. Weinstein (1975) "Inactivation of treponema Pallidum by Silver Sulfadiazine" 7, 538-39.
17) M. Wysor (1975) "Orally-Administered Silver Sulfadiazine: Chemotherapy and Toxicology in CF-1 Mice...." Chemother 21, 302-10.
18) T. Wlodkowski & H. Rosenkranz (1973) "Antifungal Activity of Silver Sulfadiazine" Lancet, Sep. 29, 739-40.
19) T. Berger et al (1976) "Electrically Generated Silver Ions: Quantitative Effects on Bacterial and Mammalian Cells" Antimicrob Agents Chemother 9, 357-58.
20) T. Berger et al (1976) "Antifungal Properties of Electrically Generated Silver Ions" Antimicrob Agents Chemother 10, 856-60.
21) R. Thurman & C. Gerba (1989) "The Molecular Mechanisms of Copper and Silver Ion Disinfection of Bacteria and Viruses" CRC Crit Rev Envir Control 18, 295-315.
22) W. Newton & M. Jones (1949) "Effectiveness of Silver Ions Against Cysts of Endamoeba Histolytica" 41, 1027-34.
23) N. Simonetti et al (1992) "Electrochemical Ag+ for Preservative Use" Appl Environ Microbiol 58, 3834-36.
24) S. Hussain et al (1992) "Cystein Protects Na, K-ATPase and isolated Human Lymphocytes from Silver Toxicity" Biochem Biophys Res Comm 189, 1444-49.
25) H. Freundlich, Colloid & Capillary Chemistry, N.Y.: E.P. Dutton, 1922, p.385.
26) C.E. MacLeod (1912) "Electric Metallic Colloids and Their Therapeutical Applications" Lancet, Feb. 3.
27) A. Clark (1923) "The Properties of Certain 'Colloidal' Preparations of Metals" Br Med J, Feb. 17, 273-77.
28) T. Sanderson-Wells (1916) "A Case of Puerperal Septicemia... Treated with... Collosol Argentum" Lancet, Feb. 16, p.258.
29) B. Fowler & G. Nordberg (1986) 'Silver'' in Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, L. Friberg, G. Nordberg & V. Vouk, eds. Amsterdam: Elsevier Sci. Pub., Vol. 2, 521-31.
30) J. Dawson et al (1984) "The Effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine...." Arch Toxicol 55, 11-15.
31) L. Borgstrom et al (1986) "Pharmacokinetics of N-acetylcysteine in Man" Eur J Clin Pharmacol 31, 217-22.
32) A. Lorber et al (1973) "Clinical Application for Heavy Metal-Complexing Potential of N-acetylcysteine" J Clin Pharmacol 13, 332-36.
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