A few thoughts on colloidal silver and other such remedies:
 
The world is absolutely stuffed with anecdotal reports of this or that
curing this or that ailment.  These cover the range from relatively accepted
"alternative" products like feverfew and ginger, to absolutely wacky things
like drinking urine.  Without some attempt at verification - eliminating
placebo effect and the normal course of the disease - we gain very little by
trading stories of "I've heard corn starch cures ulcers" and thelike, in
this forum or any other.
 
This idea that "natural" remedies are better than manufactured drugs is
physiologically untenable.  Your body does not know or care if the ascorbic
acid you give it came from an orange or from a lab.  The chemical is the
same, the effect is the same, and the only thing that matters is cost and
convenience.  Bodies work by biochemical processes.  If a plant-based remedy
affects a symptom, it is because the plant contains some chemical substance
that has an influence on the symptom.  There is no magic involved!  If the
chemical can be identified and isolated, and proven to be safe and
effective, the chemical can be synthesized or extracted.  This is probably
better than using the original plant source, as the concentration of the
agent can be more predictably controlled.
 
Any report of any intervention curing the flu or the like in one hour is
highly suspect.
 
Most vets and most physicians have received no training and have little
understanding of complementary treatments.  Most of the books, magazines and
other sources available to the public are unreliable, filled with anecdotes
and fanciful theories that make no scientific sense.  If you are interested
in looking beyond Western medicine, you are mostly on your own.  Look at:
 
Varro Tyler, The Honest Herbal
Herbalgram (a peer-reviewed academic journal about plant-based remedies)
The National Council Against Health Fraud
 
Lastly, the term "alternative" is misleading.  An alternative is something
that is essentially equivalent, yet different.  This is absolutely false for
most things considered "alternative".  In all medical interventions -
Western, Eastern, Homeopathic, Herbal - the method is either proven
effective, proven ineffective, or not sufficiently tested.  There is no
other option.  Many things in the complementary realm have already been
demonstrated useless when subjected to placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Many remedies have little or no useful ingredients.  Many reflect bonehead
science.  Some work well.  Some have been proven useful, yet are largely
ignored in Western medicine.
 
However, ALL remedies have proven useful for two things:  Curing loneliness
and poverty among the practitioners!
[Posted in FML issue 1527]