ANCIENT ANTIMICROBIAL USES OF SILVER

The Greeks used silver vessels to keep water and other liquids fresh. The writings of Herodotus, the Greek philosopher and historian, date the use of silver to before the birth of Christ. The Roman Empire stored wine in silver urns to prevent spoilage. The use of silver is mentioned in ancient Egyptian writings.In the Middle Ages, silverware protected the wealthy from the full brunt of the plague. Before the advent of modern germicides and antibiotics, it was known that disease-causing pathogens could not survive in the presence of silver. Consequently, silver was used in dishware, drinking vessels and eating utensils. In particular, the wealthy stored and ate their food from silver vessels to keep bacteria from growing. The Chinese emperors and their courts ate with silver chopsticks. The Druids have left evidence of their use of silver. Settlers in the Australian outback suspend silverware in their water tanks to retard spoilage. Pioneers trekking across the American West found that if they placed silver or copper coins in their casks of drinking water, it kept the water safe from bacteria, algae, etc. All along the frontier, silver dollars were put in milk to keep it fresh. Some of us remember our grandparents doing the same. Silver leaf was used to combat infection in wounds sustained by troops during World War I. Prior to the introduction of antibiotics, Colloidal Silver was used widely in hospitals and has been known as a bactericide for at least 1200 years. In the early 1800s, doctors used silver sutures in surgical wounds with very successful results. In Ayurvedic medicine, silver is used in small amounts as a tonic, elixir or rejuvenative agent for patients debilitated by age or disease.