Colloidal silver, a suspension of microscopic silver particles in water, has a long and storied history as a natural remedy. Once hailed as a powerful antimicrobial agent and general healing tonic, colloidal silver was used extensively in medicine before the advent of antibiotics. Though its popularity faded with the rise of pharmaceuticals, colloidal silver is now experiencing a revival among natural health advocates. Let’s explore its historical roots, scientific endorsements, early clinical applications, and its reemergence as a natural health remedy, while also reviewing critical research and historical documentation.

Ancient and Traditional Use

Before modern science caught up, indigenous cultures and traditional healers around the world were already aware of silver’s unique healing powers. According to researchers Wayne Rowland and Herb Roi Richards, some tribal shamans used to place silver vessels filled with water in areas prone to lightning strikes. After being struck by lightning, the electrically charged silver-infused water was believed to hold remarkable healing properties and was administered to tribe members as a sacred remedy for various ailments. This method reflects an early understanding of electro-activated silver water—an approach modern colloidal silver generators now simulate through electrical ionization.

In Ayurvedic medicine, silver has been used for over 2,000 years. Known as Rajata bhasma in its ash form or as colloidal silver in suspension, it has been traditionally used to support the liver, treat infections, reduce inflammation, and rejuvenate body tissues. According to the Ayurveda Institute, silver is known for its cooling, antimicrobial, and regenerative properties when prepared appropriately for medicinal use.

Medical Breakthroughs of the 19th and Early 20th Century

The rise of modern medicine in the late 1800s saw a renewed scientific interest in colloidal silver. Around 1891, medical researchers began to investigate its effects on infections and diseases. By the early 1900s, colloidal silver had become a staple in physicians’ medical kits, used to treat a wide range of conditions, including wounds and eye infections.

Albert Searle, the founder of what later became Merck Pharmaceuticals, became one of colloidal silver’s most respected early advocates. In his 1919 book The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease, Searle documented numerous clinical successes using colloidal silver. He stated:

“The germicidal action of certain metals in the colloidal state having been demonstrated, it only remained to apply them to the human subject, and this has been done in a large number of cases with astonishingly successful results.”
— Albert Searle, 1919

Searle referenced studies published in The Lancet and British Medical Journal that showed colloidal silver’s effectiveness against:

• • Follicular tonsillitis
  • Gonorrheal conjunctivitis
  • Impetigo
  • Septic ulcers
  • Ringworm
  • Pustular eczema
  • Influenza (when sprayed in the nostrils and used as a gargle)

British doctors of the era, including Sir James Cantlie and Sir Malcolm Morris, also noted silver’s effectiveness in treating intestinal ailments like dysentery and sprue. Morris reported that colloidal silver not only lacked the irritating effects of silver salts but also soothed inflamed tissues and accelerated healing.

Laboratory Evidence and Support from Researchers

In 1914, British chemist Henry Crookes reported laboratory tests where colloidal silver, referred to as collosol silver, was capable of eliminating a wide range of pathogens within minutes. Crookes stated:

“I know of no microbe that is not killed in laboratory experiments in six minutes.”

Crookes observed that colloidal silver had a “bland and soothing effect on animal tissue,” distinguishing it from harsher silver compounds like silver nitrate or silver arsphenamine, which were commonly used at the time to treat diseases such as syphilis.

Early Silver Medicines and Side Effects

Pharmaceutical companies of the early 20th century developed dozens of silver-based products, marketed under names such as:

• • Argyrol
  • Silvol
  • Albargin
  • Arginin
  • Lunosol
  • Novargan

These preparations fell into three categories:

1. 1. Silver salts – Highly reactive, potentially irritating.
   2. Mild silver proteins – Contained high concentrations of silver (10% or more), sometimes causing argyria, a permanent bluish-gray discoloration of the skin.
   3. Electro-colloidal silver – A pure and less reactive form suspended in water.

Argyria occurred primarily with high-silver-content salts and proteins, not with the low-concentration colloidal silver used today.

The Decline of Colloidal Silver in Medicine

The fall of colloidal silver was swift after the emergence of sulfa drugs in the 1930s and penicillin in the 1940s. By 1970, colloidal silver had disappeared mainly from medical reference books, and the pharmaceutical industry ceased production. The era of synthetic antibiotics had arrived, and natural remedies were increasingly dismissed or forgotten.

However, unlike many synthetic antibiotics, colloidal silver posed no risk of bacterial resistance, a problem that has since become a major global health crisis. Some researchers today argue that silver’s broad-spectrum antimicrobial qualities still have a valuable role in both internal and topical treatment.

Modern Revival and Controversy

In recent years, colloidal silver has seen a resurgence among natural health advocates. Modern electro-colloidal silver products are typically much lower in silver concentration and do not pose the same risks as earlier high-silver-content preparations. They are often promoted for immune support, wound care, and even as preventative supplements.

Nevertheless, the FDA has issued warnings against unverified claims, and mainstream medicine remains skeptical. Still, many holistic practitioners and alternative medicine researchers continue to investigate its antimicrobial and regenerative properties.

Notably, as the race to create better and more unique colloidal silvers continues, Wayne Rowland has developed a method using Tesla lightning to create a unique type of colloidal silver, which is also infused with healing frequencies.

Conclusion

The history of colloidal silver reveals an intriguing evolution from sacred tribal remedy to mainstream medical marvel—and back again into the realm of natural healing. While pharmaceutical interests sidelined it for decades, the consistent testimony of historical research, scientific experimentation, and traditional use continues to inspire those seeking holistic and non-toxic healing alternatives.

Whether viewed as folklore, science, or suppressed innovation, colloidal silver remains a unique and powerful element in the history of medicine, and possibly its future.

Resources & References

1. Crookes, Henry. “Colloidal Silver as a Germicide.” British Journal of Medicine, 1914.
2. Searle, Albert. The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease. London: Constable & Co. Ltd., 1919.
3. Cantlie, James & Morris, Malcolm. Reports and clinical documentation cited in Searle (1919).
4. Becker, Robert O. The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life. William Morrow & Co., 1985.
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Toxicological Review of Silver and Silver Compounds. IRIS Report, 1996.
6. Ayurveda Institute. “Traditional Uses of Silver in Ayurveda.”
7. Rowland, Wayne & Richards, Herb Roi. Silver Water Colloidal: Silver for Humans’ Health, Wellness, and Healing. 2014.