M. G. Devour wrote: > Marshall wrote: > > Here are a few things to always keep in mind if using CS. > > > > Do not give to anyone that has a pacemaker or defibrillator. > > Colloidal metals can short out these devices. > > Ouch! Never heard that one before. Do you have any stories or sources > to give us context?
This is theoretical, but the consequences are so severe we warn against it on our label. But it is easy to see why. If you have a DC unit operating for long periods of time silver whiskers will grow from the anode to the cathode, eventually shorting the electrode out. In the case of a pacemaker, the electrodes receive pulses, but always the same polarity, so over a long period of time it is likely a whisker of metal will grow from the anode until it reaches the other electrode, disabling the device. If the electrodes are far apart it is less likely, but if the insulation on the wires are nicked where they run together, the same thing can result. Likewise if the battery potential is leaking anywhere, a whisker could form shorting the battery out. > I might also add to your list: Do not use CS as a treatment to an > established aquarium, as it will *destroy* the biological filter made > up of bacteria in the gravel and/or filter system. The resulting dump > of metabolites *and* the rapid rise in contamination after the filter > (literally) dies, will make the tank uninhabitable very quickly. I have heard of using CS for various fish diseases. It may be a matter of concentration. Like in the intestines, a low concentration may kill pathogens in the water, but not as much in the filter and under the gravel where there is solid matter. My daughter has a terrarium and at one point the wood in it got this awful orange and white mold on it. Although it was very VOLish (I am in Knoxville where you see orange and white everywhere during football season), it still looked bad. She put an ounce or so of CS in the water, and apparently the frogs spread it over everything. The mold was totally gone in 24 hours, and has never returned. Marshall -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
