Silver is an expensive and rare metal that has been used to fight diseases and germs all over the world for thousands of years.

. Ancient Greeks and Romans used silver barrels to keep their water fresh and to preserve food

. The use of silver, for medicinal purposes, is written about in ancient Egyptian records

. Chinese emperors have always eaten with silver chopsticks for good health

. Early North American settlers placed silver coins in their canteens to keep their water clean and germ-free

. NASA recently started using silver instead of chlorine to purify water for their astronauts in space.

. The U.S. military has silver particles impregnated into the clothing of soldiers to protect against rashes, staph infections, athletes foot and more.

. In Asia, many cell phones are coated with silver particles to prevent the transfer of germs and bacteria.

. To prevent the spread of infection, silver particles are used in many health-care products including, wound dressing and nurse uniforms.