>From:    Ela <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Argyria
>I understand what you are saying, Meghan ... but people (and ferrets) with
>argyria turn bright blue/grey!  It would be kind of hard to miss someone
>with this condition
 
Where would you expect to see these people?  Everything I've read suggests
that the numbers of people with this condition are dropping but that those
who have it tend to become very reclusive.  I've never personally see a
victim of leprosy but that doesn't make it imaginary.  Argyria isn't always
a total discoloration to blue/grey.  Do you examine the mucous membranes of
everyone you've met?  I don't.
 
>I know that LOTS of the ferret shelters use colloidal silver on their
>animals, and LOT of people use colloidal silver.
 
But I know that LOTS of the ferret shelters do NOT use colloidal silver on
their animals and MOST people do not use colloidal silver.  I know far more
shelters that do not use such quack medicine on their ferrets than do.  We
operate a shelter and have become among the most vocal opponents of using
colloidal silver.
 
I wish those that do use colloidal silver would actually read up on the
substance and discover why they shouldn't use it.  It would be far better
for their ferrets to return to proper medical treatments and not rely on
what amounts to faith healing without a proper religious backing.
 
The silver proponents want it both ways.  The modern colloidal silver is
safe and better than the old stuff but it is the same as the old stuff so
we can continue to promote it as something other than a poison in water.
 
The positive articles on colloidal silver tend to be on sites with names
like "wishgranted.com" or "mmagic.com".  The very names of these sites
should send up huge warning flags in your mind that it isn't scientific
evidence but jargonistic doublespeak explaining the 'magic' of colloidal
silver.
 
Shelter operators, veterinarians and even doctors aren't always right.
Some of these do indeed recommend colloidal silver but that doesn't make
them right.  There are some amazinly strange things promoted by some
portion of the population.
 
>Heck ..  in the grocery store where I live, they sell two different
>brands of colloidal silver.
 
Sold as a dietary supplement as they legally can not sell it as a medicine.
You can also buy rubbing alcohol at a grocery store, it would be a very bad
idea to drink that although it is a useful medical tool applied topically.
 
Argyria isn't always generalized.  It can be localized sometimes to just
finger and toe nails.
 
Lets post some sites that people can read more about argyria and silver.
If some are duplicated I'm sorry.  Those who still think silver is safe
and/or effective really should check out these various articles.
 
This site lists pro and con articles.  All the pro articles are about
topical and not orally ingested silver.
        http://cassia.jerseycape.net/library.htm#silver
 
The National Council for Reliable Health Information
        http://www.hcrc.org/faqs/c/colloid.html
 
For fun, read about a colloidal silver manufacturer bashing others...
        http://www.advancedbio.com/faq.htm
 
Heres a quack medicine hawker that ends up quoting entire FDA articles
on why colloidal silver makers should lose the ability to hide behind
a grandfather clause.
        http://www.svpvril.com/FDAag.html
 
From a wholistic health page we find a condemnation of silver.  <shrug>
        http://www.true-health.com/silver.htm
 
-bill
 
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
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[Posted in FML issue 2587]