The news could make you smile because it is so incongruous: a man is self-medicating and sees his skin turn blue. But the reality is less funny than the title, because this patient treated in Switzerland suffers from a real poisoning with silver particles, which caused lesions on his liver and his heart, reports the RTS. Explanations.
Colloidal silver is sold as a natural remedy, antimicrobial, always “more concentrated, purer, more effective” … Ideal, in period of Covid-19 to strengthen its immunity? No ! As a reminder, this drug is banned in Europe because it is dangerous, especially given without follow-up. That said, it is still very easy to buy on the internet no matter where you are and continues to cause havoc. Proof of this is this man who turned blue after ingesting silver powder diluted in milk.
What is argyrism?
He suffers from a disease called argyrism, contamination with silver. It was found locally in goldsmiths, whose hands were turning blue. But can also be generalized if the money is ingested. This is because the particles of the metal penetrate the skin and become dark again with this bluish tint, which is definitive.
A chief doctor of internal medicine at the Hôpital du Jura (Switzerland), where the subject was treated after noticing this pigmentation, explains to the RTS that if this effect is visible, it is not the only one to result of taking money: hepatitis, kidney damage or brain damage can be seen and stay indefinitely.
Source: RTS, “Intoxicated by silver particles, he now has blue skin for life”
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