>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Colloidal silver
>I've posted citations as to its use/source/effectiveness, etc.
 
Actually no.  No credible source has yet come out to claim that colloidal
silver was anything but quack medicine.
 
I would highly recommend never giving any of the various products called
colloidal silver to any ferret (or other living thing).
 
I in the past did exhaustive searches and have never ever seen a credible
source claiming effectiveness of colloidal silver.  We have a few anecdotal
claims but in all of those cases there were other factors that probably
made the difference.  All of them.  Ferrets are such incredible patients
that it is easy to confuse coincidence with causality.
 
You can find all of that in the archives as well.
 
>From:    Gary Holowicki <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: colloidal silver for ferrets & spleens
>There are no side effects I know of
 
Other than possibly turning blue.  Heavy metal poisoning.  And most
important isn't really a side effect but by relying on a placebo those who
take colloidal silver (or give it to their ferrets) delay true medical
assistance.
 
>as it's reasoned to act catalytically to boost the bodies' own immune
>system, not chemically act like "modern" anti biotics do.
 
That is double talk.  A catalyst is an agent that causes a chemical
reaction (or more generally any reaction) so its saying it does what it
doesn't do.
 
>As such, it is also not specific to just some germs or virus', but acts
>as an anti-virus, anti biotic, and anti fungual.
 
This is a silly statement.  If silver kills all of these things it will
kill lots of other things such as the necessary body flora and well all
the living cells of the body.  It is poison.
 
>It's not pushed by "modern medicine" as it's not a patent drug that large
>profits come from.
 
Its not used because it doesn't work.  Aspirin is no longer under patent
so it has small profits and yet is used in more and more ways by modern
medicine.  Lithium is an extremely inexpensive medicine that has no patents
and is the most prescribed medicine for bi-polar disorders.
 
What is stated is an excuse for companies that make higher profit margins
on a non-medicine and claim they are oppressed by companies that actually
do make real medicines.
 
>It's usage goes back to early pioneers who put silver dollars in milk to
>help prevent spoilage.
 
That has two mistakes.  Silver dollars are not colloidal silver nor does
that really work worth considering effective.  People at about the same
time used leeches to suck the disease from your body if you remember.
 
No company that sells colloidal silver is supposed to make any claims about
medical benefits as there are NO proven medical benefits.  Colloidal silver
is not any of the other silver products used in medicine.  Using other
silver medical uses (it is used for example in external applications) to
back use of colloidal silver is like saying that you should use chlorine
gas to kill germs in your body since chlorine dioxide is also used to
purify drinking water.  Chlorine gas if you don't remember is used in the
deadly chemical weapons.
 
>From:    Pat Stauffer <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Reply to Megan Quinn's observations
 
I saw one of the two incidents Meagan mentioned.  It isn't how I would
treat my ferrets but knowing the person and her ferrets I don't think I
would classify it as abuse.  But certainly not something I would recommend
especially ina crowded show hall.  It looked like a more forceful nip
trainingor rough housing more than anything.  I prefer other methods.  I
also know her ferrets and know that they do sometimes need a stronger
message than other ferrets - really not all ferrets respond immediately
to "hugs and kisses".
 
Tooth cleaning looks like tooth cleaning.
 
I didn't want to do anything at the show though it made me uncomfortable.
I was very hesitant to say anything here.  <sigh>
 
-bill (with some help from diane)
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2756]