Thanks to Jeff Johnston for contributing his most informative postings on
the Colloidal Silver issue.  And to Charlene Lowe for providing a large
reading list of studies on the subject.  I for one would appreciate seeing
abstracts of the more important among these studies to get a better idea of
what conclusions the researchers involved drew.
 
There was an apparent inaccuracy in one of Charlene's postings where she
claimed that "Colloidal silver was approved by the FDA in 1920s as an
antibiotic."  This of course could not have been true since the FDA did not
exist in the 1920s; I understand that it was not "approved as an antibiotic"
but rather grandfathered in as a pre-existing substance in 1938 when the
regulatory legislation was finally passed.
 
There do seem to be indications that Colloidal Silver could have some value,
in some situations.   But with all the cautions that have been cited -- the
need to ensure purity of the CS product, uncertainties regarding proper
dosage, possibleside-effects with impaired hepatic function, and the "broad
spectrum" of its germicidal action, as well as the lack of clinical data to
support actual efficacy when administered internally -- I would personally
need to see more research results before using it on any of my ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 1379]