[Moderator's note: Megan sent 3 posts about colloidial silver yesterday,
but only two of them made it to the FML where they were combined into one
long post.  This part should have been in the middle of that one long
post!  BIG]
 
FWIW, here are what a few of my references have to say about silver in
humans.
 
[Begin "lost" post]
 
This first quote may seem to support the use of colloidal silver
internally...but read carefully; it is talking ONLY about external use!
 
   Katzung, _Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 6th ed._ Lange, 1995, p749
   "Silver ion precipitates protein and also interferes with essential
    metabolic activities of microbial cells.  Inorganic silver salts in
    solution are strongly bactericidal.  Silver nitrate, 1:1000, destroys
    most microorganisms rapidly upon contact.  Silver nitrate opthalmic
    solution USP contains 1% of the salt, to be instilled into the eyes of
    newborns to prevent gonococcal ophthalmia.  It is effective for this
    purpose but may cause chemical conjunctivitis by being quite acid;
    therefore, antibiotic ointment has been used instead at times.  Other
    inorganic silver salts are rarely used for their antimicrobial
    properties because they are strongly irritating to tissues.  In burns,
    compresses of 0.5% silver nitrate can reduce infection of the burn
    wound, aid rapid eschar formation, and reduce mortality.  If silver
    nitrate is reduced to nitrite by bacteria in the burn,
    methemogolbinemia may result.  Silver sulfadiazine 1% cream slowly
    releases sulfadiazine and also silver and effectively suppresses
    microbial flora in burns.....it has occasionally produced leukopenia.
 
   "Colloidal preparations of silver are less injurious to superficial
    tissues and have significant bacteriostatic properties.  Mild silver
    protein contians about 20% silver and can be applied as an antiseptic
    to mucous membranes.  Prolonged use of any silver preparation may
    result in argyria."
 
  Ravel, _Clinical Laboratory Medicine, 6th ed._  Mosby 1995, p407.
  "Silver nitrate treatment for extensive burns may itself cause
    clinically significant hyponatremia (due to electrolyte diffusion into
    the hypotonic silver nitrate solution.)
 
So then, topically, silver is known to potentially cause tissue irritation,
methemoglobinemia, leukopenia, and hyponatremia.  Lovely.
 
Okay... so is there anything about silver used internally, then??
 
   Fischbach, _A manual of laboratory and diagnostic tests, 5th ed_,
   Lippincott 1996, page 1038.  (some paraphrasing to make it legible;
   it's in tabular format.)
 
  "Silver: clinical signficance of increased blood serum values:
    -Chemical conjunctivities secondary to silver nitrate.
    -Gastroenteritis.
    -Grayish discoloration of mucous membranes when given by mouth.
    -Argyria (bluish gray skin discoloration from nose/eyedrops over
              time or industrial exposure)
    -Other increased silver levels in serum found as a result of using
     silver products topically for burns (silvadene) or as an antiseptic
     (silver picrate).
     Lethal dose in humans: 3.5-35 grams."
 
Gastroenteritis. That's nice. (not)
 
Blood levels of 3.5 grams can be lethal to humans. Hmmm...I wonder what
the lethal dose is for ferrets??? It's probably a LOT less!
 
NOW how do you feel about silver???
 
[End "lost" post]
 
This is hardly an effective argument against colloidal silver, nor am I
trying to make one.  I do want to point out that silver can be potentially
harmful in humans.  As Bill Killian said so well, "When some true
medical/scientific testing is performed and colloidal silver actually is
shown to be beneficial [as an internal antibiotic I assume he means] I will
change my mind."
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
- Megan
[Posted in FML issue 2566]