H2O2 is very good at rapidly clotting blood in heavily bleeding
injuries. The blood effervesces and clots almost immediately.  I used
to use it only for this reason until a doctor told me that it produced
a lot free radical damage at the wound site, and should not be used
casually.
—
Chris Malcolm    c…@uk.ac.ed.aifh          +44 (0)31 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205
"The mind reigns, but does not govern" — Paul Valery

> I was wondering if anyone could provide me with info regarding h2o2 or
> Colloidal Silver Therapy, or what their oppinions are on these two
> substances?  I have read an articles on both of these and they sound
> very promising I thought I Could maybe get a 2nd 3rd or ? opinion from
> the subscribers of this group

Both are obsolete topical antiseptics (I assume that’s the use
you’re talking about, since you mention both of them in the
same breath.)

H2O2 liberates nascent oxygen at the site of application because of the
ubiquitous enzyme catalase, whose job it is to decompose H2O2 to
oxygen.  The free oxygen is what kills the bacteria.  Peroxide’s
antibacterial action is weak and short-lived.  Colloidal silver is a
silver-protein complex which liberates silver ions at the site of
application, which then exhibit an antibacterial effect.  "Weak silver
compound" has a higher concentration of Ag++ ions than "strong silver
compound", and can also irritate tissues.  There’s nothing all that
special about either of these; they were popular before the advent of
other antiseptics and antibiotics.  Colloidal silver, when used to
excess as an eye wash, gargle, douche or nasal spray (senseless
applications which have little rational basis) can over a period of
months cause a condition known as argyria, in which elemental silver is
deposited into the skin, giving it a grayish cast which is more or less
permanent, depending on how lucky or unlucky you are.  Actually taking
the stuff internally would accelerate this (I have no idea what these
gnuage hucksters who are pushing it these days are actually
recommending.)

For most minor scratches or scrapes, all that’s really needed is a good
cleansing with soap and water, with perhaps a bandage if necessary.
If it gets infected, you should see a medical doctor.
—
Steve Dyer
d…@ursa-major.spdcc.com