Silver Shows Promise

Silver has long been recognized for its infection-fighting properties. In Ancient Greece and Rome, silver was used to fight infections and control spoilage. In 1893, the botanist von Nageli discovered that minute concentrations of silver contained microbicidal properties. Silver nitrate drops were routinely used in newborn infants' eyes to prevent infections until replaced by antibiotic drops. More recent products utilizing silver in various forms are showing real promise in combating bacterial resistance.

Colloidal silver was a liquid commonly used before the 1930s as an antibiotic and is available at health food stores and on the Internet.