Colloidal silver has never been approved by any reputable scientific or
government agency.  If you check the references thrown around by people who
swear by this remedy you'll find that they are a) archaic, b) provided by
an organization that is trying to sell the stuff, or c) recommended by an
individual who is a naturopath (N.D.) and not an AMA-trained medical doctor
(M.D.).
 
The companies that sell this remedy are not regulated by the U.S.
government.  There are no guarantees that what you are purchasing is of a
consistent strength or that it has any silver in it at all.
 
The studies that refer to colloidal silver "binding" to viruses were all
conducted in petrie dishes, not in human or ferret bodies.  The silver was
also at a much higher concentration than would ever be administered to a
living animal.  Silver is a heavy metal and can be very dangerous if
ingested.
 
I'd never use it in my ferrets, nor in myself.  The medical and veterinary
communities both have their problems and certainly are far from perfect.
However, I'd much rather spend my money on treatments that have a solid
grounding in science than send it to someone trying to rip me off.
 
Try these web sites for more information:
 
http://www.acmeferret.com/infobank/n95_dvm.htm
 
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/PhonyAds/silverad.html
 
http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/
 
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~btcarrol/skeptic/deaddocs.html
 
I applaud Penny and Zen for having the guts to stand up and say that
colloidal silver is not the panacea some people claim it to be.
 
-mel
[Posted in FML issue 2561]