Silverware is loved by many people, what is its charm?

In ancient my country, only prominent families such as kings, princes, generals and ministers could own silverware, because it was not only a symbol of wealth, but also a reflection of identity, status and rank.

With the mass production and use of silver, people gradually discovered that when silver encounters toxic substances, it will turn gray or black. Therefore, the ancients often used it to detect whether food and drink are toxic.

However, at that time, people only knew that silver could be used to test for poison, but they did not know why. It was not until modern times that scientists devoted themselves to research and solved the mystery of silver testing for poison - when silver comes into contact with sulfur-containing substances, a chemical reaction will occur on the surface to produce black silver sulfide.

Arsenic trioxide, a common highly toxic substance in ancient times, can be detected in silver because it contains trace amounts of sulfur. However, this does not mean that all substances that can turn silver black are toxic. For example, egg yolk can also turn silver black, but it is not toxic.

Similarly, not all toxic substances can turn silver black. Even though potassium cyanide and sodium cyanide are extremely toxic, they do not contain sulfur and therefore cannot be detected in silver. Therefore, the popular belief that silver can be tested for poison is somewhat biased.

Another reason why the ancients loved silverware was that it could prevent food from rotting and extend the storage time of food when used as tableware. For example, horse milk in a silver bowl could be stored longer than in an ordinary bowl, and the milk flavor was more mellow.

The good antiseptic and fresh-keeping effect of silver tableware is inseparable from the powerful bactericidal ability of silver ions.

The reason why silver ions have such amazing bactericidal ability is mainly because when they are dissolved in water, they first strongly attract bacteria to combine with them, then destroy the cell structure of the bacteria, and make the enzymes on which they depend for survival inactive. When the bacteria die and lyse, the silver ions will separate from them and continue to repeat the above process. Therefore, the bactericidal ability of silver ions is long-lasting.

In addition, researchers have found that silver ions not only have strong bactericidal ability, but also have a wide range of bactericidal types. Compared with ordinary antibiotics that can only deal with an average of 6 types of bacteria, silver ions can kill more than 600 types of harmful microorganisms!

Because silver has good bactericidal ability and is harmless to the human body in trace amounts, people often use it in the medical field. For example, before the advent of stainless steel needles, the needles used in traditional Chinese acupuncture were silver needles; women wearing silver earrings after piercing their ears can effectively prevent inflammation of the wound; on the battlefield in ancient times, if a soldier was injured and had no medicine to treat him, he would beat the silver on his body into silver sheets and stick them on the wound to accelerate healing and prevent infection.

Not only Chinese medicine, but also Western medicine is well aware of the medical effects of silver preparations. As early as more than a hundred years ago, Western medicine had records of using silver to treat ulcers.

The Crede method, which is still used in many countries, was created by German obstetrician Crede in 1884. It is an effective measure to prevent conjunctivitis by dripping 1% silver nitrate solution into the eyes of newborns. The use of this method has reduced the blindness rate of infants from 10% to 2‰.

Another example is silver sulfadiazine, which has a highly effective bactericidal ability and helps wound recovery. It plays an indispensable role in the treatment of trauma (such as burns) and is listed in the National Essential Medicines List (2012 edition). In addition, people have also used the bactericidal ability of silver to develop silver-coated sutures and silver-coated catheters, and the production of silver gauze and silver cotton wool has provided convenience and protection for the treatment of abscesses, ulcers, etc.

However, people should be rational about silver. It is not perfect, and it has certain limitations and even risks!

In addition, many silver utensils are actually alloy-plated silver, not pure silver. After the alloy material is precipitated, there are more health risks. In addition, although silver utensils can prevent corrosion and keep fresh, they are often criticized for their shortcomings such as fast heat conduction (easy to burn the mouth), soft texture, and easy oxidation, and they need regular maintenance.

Finally, it should be noted that copper, which is in the same family as silver, also has a strong bactericidal effect. Researchers have found that copper utensils can kill 90%-95% of the bacteria on them. Therefore, copper is also widely used in the food industry and medicine.

For example, Bordeaux red wine from France is famous all over the world for its high-quality raw materials, which are protected by Bordeaux liquid (the active ingredient is basic copper sulfate) to prevent bacteria from invading grapes (trees). Another example is that in daily life, copper handles are installed on the door frames of some entrances and exits to prevent the spread of bacteria...

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