A Brief History of Silver
Throughout history, accessories made of silver symbolized wealth and health, because of what the metal contains. So, is health real wealth through pieces of silver?
Before hand-sanitizers and preservatives, people knew of the antibacterial properties of silver to fight off bacteria, viruses, and the diseases they caused. Many tidbits of this practice have stemmed from generations to other cultures and countries. The Romans and Greeks used silver containers to store wine – preventing it from spoiling. Chinese emperors and their royal court would eat using silver chopsticks. New Americans, who were exploring the west, put silver coins in their casks to keep the water fresh from bacteria. The wealthy, in the middle ages, gifted silver spoons to babies to protect them from diseases. This has come in handy during the plague. To be born with a silver spoon in your mouth was a lifesaver in those days.
The metal was not only a sign of wealth in the 19th and 20th century. In the 1800’s, doctors noted the use of silver in operations and in the prevention of wound infections. In World War I, soldiers would carry silver leaves as antiseptic in case they get wounded from battles. There were many silver compound-based treatments available in the market at the time. The demand had only shrunk after the discovery of penicillin and the development of modern-day medicine.
Despite the use of other forms of medicine, there still had been development in the use of silver, colloidal silver to be exact. For example, in the 1960’s, doctors used Silver Sulfadiazine, an ointment, to treat 2nd or 3rd degree burns.
Over time, the use of this product and other treatments has also declined through further research and the discovery of other remedies. Even after several shifts in the market of medicine, the use of silver as a healing agent is still in favor with fashion and water purification. It has been reported that blood circulation improves through wearing silver jewelry. Silver rings have also been helpful to relieve arthritis. Swimming pools can be kept clean using silver filters. These are also used by airlines for the prevention of bacteria in their water system. It is funny that we have slightly come full circle with silver as once again, it is mostly being used to make a person look or feel good and maintain liquids clean.
