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Silver has been known for thousands of years as a killer of pathogens.  The early Greeks noticed that the wealthy people (who used silver utensils) seemed to never get sick as did the common folk.  In the middle ages, the royal families used exclusively silver dinnerware, and in the mid-1800s in this country, pioneers kept silver coins in their water barrels to guard against pathogens picked up from the trail watering holes.

My own grandma placed a silver dollar in the milk can to keep the milk from clabbering in the summertime.
There is absolutely no known bacteria, virus or fungus that silver will not kill, and in most cases, within an hour or two.  It can be homemade for pennies a quart on a continual basis, and is a must for a long-term survival situation. The only criteria that I must warn you of, is that bigger is not better when it comes to colloidal size and the resulting “yellow” color of overcooked colloidal silver.  If your silver solution is colored, or has a strongly metallic taste, then discard it. 
 
I have been using my home-made Colloidal Silver for over 15 years. The first couple of years I thought it was a piece of cake to make it with a couple of coins and a 9 volt battery, but was greatly mistaken. I continued having health problems, though admittedly, not as severe as before. I spent much time studying, pondering my equipment, and found that the secret is that very small particles are mandatory for silver to suffocate viruses and also some bacteria. First, I learned to never add salt or any chemical to the water. Clumps will form; destroying the product’s effectiveness pure, glass-distilled water and .999 silver is the only way to make effective silver colloids. It does take some time, but the result is amazing in its disease fighting ability.

Silver is known to oxidize, or absorb oxygen (tarnish if you will) readily. This makes it effective on pathogens only if it is smaller than the target pathogen. In other words, it must attach itself to them, because Silver colloids operate by absorbing oxygen from the host pathogen and depriving it of the oxygen it needs to multiply. Colloidal ions are attracted to the host (diseased) cell containing the pathogen  by the negative electrical charge they carry which is produced by the electrolysis method of manufacture. They attach themselves to the diseased cell containing the pathogens through this charge.

Exposure to light acts to neutralize the ionic charge over time, so colloidal silver should always be stored in a dark glass container in a cool (not cold) place.  Refrigeration is not necessary, and very low temperatures in fact lessen the charge of the Ions, which keeps them suspended in solution. Colloidal silver should never be stored in most plastics, as the inside of the plastic jar or container will plate out the silver ions, causing the solution to become ineffective. The opaque plastic containers such as used for hydrogen peroxide are suitable, however.

The secret to making extremely small colloids is simple, and can be done by anyone with a small capital investment and then made continually for virtually pennies per quart.
The method I am about to share has proven over the years to produce consistent and effective results. The method is like a recipe. You must follow it, as with any recipe, to achieve consistent results.

The only thing you will need that is extraordinary is a milliamp meter. You can pick one up at Radio Shack, and if you do not know how to use it, get instruction from either the booklet that comes with it, or get someone to demonstrate. There are only 2 wires on it, so how complicated can it be? While you are there, pick up a set of small “clip leads”. These are usually sold in packages of 6. (You only need 2). Also buy three 9 volt alkaline batteries. On the way home, stop by Wal-Mart and buy an inexpensive ($5.95 here) aerator (bubble blower) for a fish tank, and a couple of feet of clear tubing for the aerator.

Now for the Silver source. This is the most important ingredient.  Buy a pure silver sheet piece from someone like SilverSupplies.com. The purity must be .999. The gauge of metal can be any they list, but I suggest the 26 gauge. Thickness is not that important, but length and width are. The sheets are sold in 6 inch by one inch pieces. Buy just one sheet. Cut two 1/4 inch X 6 inch strips from it. You can use scissors to cut it.

Try to be very consistent in width. Don’t worry that it curls while you cut it. It is easy to flatten again by placing in a book or merely bending it back with your fingers. Then, using a ruler, measure 1 and 1/2 inches from one end of the strip, and scribe an easily visible line across each strip using a sharp knife or other pointed tool.

Once you have made the strips, wash them in a solution of warm soapy water to remove any oils used in rolling them, or any skin oils you may have contacted them with.  Then rinse them well under running water and dry them with a paper towel.

You should never have to wash them again, unless you drop them on the floor. With use, they will turn gray and porous looking.  This is normal. Simply clean them between uses by wiping with a wet paper towel between the thumb and forefinger, and pulling the strip through.

Next, get a one quart wide mouth mason jar. The wide mouth is important, as it sets the spacing between the strips. Wash the inside of the jar, and DRY well with a paper towel and place it in the microwave on high for a couple of minutes, to make sure it is completely dry.

Bend a small hook (or lip) at the scribed end of the strip so that the strip looks like a candy cane, and will hang on the inside, on the lip of the Mason jar, with the scribed line about an inch or so below the top of the jar.

Now, a little bit of basic electricity. The colloidal size is a function of the current flowing in the solution soon to be described. Likewise, the current is controlled by four basic things, which is why the entire accent on dimensions above.
1) The conductivity of the solution.
2) The size of the strips hanging within the solution. (Length and width)
3) The spacing between the strips. This is why a wide mouth jar is used.
4) The applied voltage (batteries) (you need 3 to make 27-28 volts)

Finally we get to the water (solution). Not tap water and not “spring water”. These are rife with impurities. You must use distilled water, and not just any distilled water. I have searched high and low and only found two brands which work in my area. Much of what is sold as distilled water is done using metallic distilling equipment. It is highly conductive and will not make effective colloidal silver. Don’t waste your time. You probably will have to search and buy several brands before you find one which is glass distilled and is suitable. Don’t worry, for you can easily test the water. In fact that is the first step in this recipe.  During a SHTF situation, you can make your own distilled water by steam distilling, but use only glass materials.  Metallic tubing such as copper or aluminum will cause your water to fail the water test below.

Steps:
1) Hang the two silver strips inside the jar.
2) Snap the three 9 volt batteries together in series. Proper contacts in each battery neatly fit the other. When you get them snapped correctly, two batteries face the third. (The 2 batteries on the outside face the center battery). The two terminals left open are (one on each outside battery) attached by clip leads as follows.
3) Connect one terminal from the batteries to one of the milliamp meter leads. Clip the other milliamp meter lead to one of the strips hanging in the jar, using as an attach point the end of the bent hook on the outside of the jar lip.
4) Move the second strip to the opposite side of the jar from the first one. (Remember spacing is important). Get the strips as close to opposite as possible.
4) Connect the final battery lead to the other strip.

The Water Conductivity Test
Using your fingers, get the strips hanging straight down as close as possible to the inside of the jar.
Now to test the water for suitability. Carefully pour your distilled water into the jar until it reaches the scribed lines on the strips. Monitor the milliamp meter for a reading of 0.2 milliamps (200 micro amps) or less. Less is better. Anything over 0.2 milliamps means the water is too conductive, and it will not make effective colloidal silver. Use it in your steam iron, and try another brand. You must find a source of low conductive distilled water. For those near a Food Lion or Publix, both these are suitable, at least in my area.
Assuming you have found suitable low conductivity water, place the tubing from your aerator all the way to the bottom and hold in place with a clothespin or other method. Turn on the aerator to be sure it does not move the strips, but only gently agitates the water by bubbling.

Monitor the milliamp meter. You are looking for a final conductivity of 5-6 times the starting current, but in no case more than 1 milliamp. (The colloids will be too large, and begin to clump. If you start at 100 micro amps, stop at 600.)

Don’t rush the process. Do not heat the water. It will take from 2 -1/2 to 4 hours to make depending on the water temperature for the final current to result.
Once your final current is reached, remove the tubing, strips and disconnect the batteries. Using a non-metallic funnel, place a clean coffee filter in the funnel and filter your colloidal silver into a dark container. I use a dark glass beer bottle, but the opaque bottles that hydrogen peroxide comes in work great also. Light must be kept at a minimum for maximum storage time.

You may notice small gray particles caught on the filter or remaining in the jar bottom. They should be minimal in quantity, and the largest no bigger than about a half flake of black pepper. These are clumped colloids. If you notice these increasing over time, it is a sign that your water quality has deteriorated or some foreign salts have built up. Clean your equipment.  In any case, if you exceed 1 milliamp of current, the particle size will rapidly increase. This is not the most effective colloidal silver. You should experience no color and  virtually no metallic taste with small colloids, because they are smaller than your taste buds can distinguish!

Try to use your silver within two to three weeks, as the colloid ions lose their charge over time.  

Dosing:

• Prophylactic– a swig (about a teaspoonful) morning and night. Swish in your mouth and swallow.
• Minor Cuts — soak a band aid in the solution and apply to the cut as normal.
• Infection — triple the prophylactic dose.

Care of strips and equipment. Wash and dry the jar. Wipe the strips gently with a moistened paper towel between your fingers. Do not polish them. The gray color is a natural feature, and actually decreases the “cook” time with use. This is because of the increased microscopic surface area due to the “tarnish”. Keep your equipment in a dust free box between uses, to keep it from picking up airborne dust or metallic particles.

It’s a kind of pain to use the recipe, but I have perfected it with much trial and error. I have had no colds, staph or other infections of any kind in 11 years. Furthermore, I’ve had many cuts, burns and various abrasions that were treated successfully without infection.  I can think of no other item which is more valuable in a SHTF situation.  There has been many who would put food, water and ammunition first, but it’s tough to use those things if you are racked with a debilitating disease.  After a day or so, I cant think of anything I would not trade for effective antibiotics to save my family’s life.  Colloidal Silver will do just that.

JWR Adds: While I concur with its efficacy, I must warn readers: Don’t over-do colloidal silver! I recommend that it only be used sparingly, to treat acute symptoms. A daily intake of even just a little colloidal silver can deplete the intestinal tract’s beneficial flora. And if it is regularly over-used over an extended period, it can even cause argyria–literally turning your skin blue, permanently.