The Physics of Silver

The antibacterial properties of silver have been known for a long time. When the ancient Greeks cooked their meals in silver pots, or Cleopatra sipped her wine from a silver chalice, they weren’t just showing off their wealth. In fact, the expression ‘born with a silver spoon in the mouth’ has a dual meaning. It means the person is wealthy and also that he’s eating hygienically. People were eating off silver spoons because they knew that an infection couldn’t survive on silver

You'll probably be surprised to learn that prior to World War II, the most powerful antibiotic, antibacterial and anti fungal substance was silver!

Although people have known for centuries that silver kills germs it is only recently that scientists have discovered how the white metal does its work.

One question that has eluded scientists is why silver is harmful to bacteria but doesn’t hurt humans. Silver interrupts a bacteria cell’s ability to form chemical bonds essential to its survival. Acting as a catalyst, it reportedly disables the enzyme that one-celled bacteria, viruses and fungi need for their oxygen metabolism. Within a few minutes, the pathogen suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different from the enzymes of primitive single-celled life. Thus silver is absolutely safe for humans.

Silver is unique among anti-microbial agents in its broad spectrum of action. It has been claimed to kill some 650 different disease organisms. And unlike antibiotics, Silver is an ‘equal opportunity destroyer’ - it doesn't discriminate, but effectively kills germs of all major types: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, fungus/yeasts, viruses and protozoal parasites.

Today, substances containing silver are used to fight bacteria in burn patients. Silver sulfadiazine is used almost universally in hospitals to prevent serious burn infections because it kills dozens of different bacteria. Most states in the United States require drops of a silver nitrate or antibiotic solution to be put into babies’ eyes at birth to prevent infection.

Today Silver is being used on gauze bandages and hospital dressings because it promotes more rapid healing. This is because it turns mature cells into stem (starter) cells increasing the rate of reconstruction of lost and damaged cells. The rapid healing rate results in less scar tissue, even in the case of severe burns.

The Healing Properties of Silver.

§ According to experts, no microorganism ever tested has been able to stay alive for more than six minutes when exposed directly to colloidal silver.

§ Silver is recognized as one of the most potent antidotes for food poisoning.

References and research sources:

1. N. Grier (1983) “Silver and Its Compounds” in Disinfection,
2. J. Powell (1978) “Our Mightiest Germ Fighter” Sci. Digest, Mar., 57-60
3. H. Carr et al (1973) “Silver Sulfadiazine: In Vitro Antibacterial Activity
4. Thurman, R.B. and Gerba, C.P. (1989) The molecular mechanics of copper and silver ion disinfection of bacteria and viruses.