Willard Water

Common Name(S): Willard's water, catalyst altered water, CAW, carbonaceous activated water, Biowater

Willard Water contains a very dilute solution containing lignite, sulfated castor oil, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, sodium metasilicate and CAW (Catalyst Altered Water) Micelle.

Uses

There are no proven pharmacological effects of willard water, but in the past it has been used as an industrial cleanser.

Side Effects

There are no reported side effects.

History

Willard water is a product with a history that dates to the early twentieth century. This product was developed by John Wesley Willard, PhD, a professor of chemistry at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. During the 1930s, Willard patented an industrial cleanser used to degrease and clean train parts. The liquid was named "carbonaceous activated water" or "catalyst activated water." However, over the years, the product became legendary among townfolks who used "Willard's water" to treat practically every recognized animal and human disease. In the early 1970s, Willard distributed a product called "Dr. Willard's Water XXX" with lignite, which was advertised as a plant growth stimulator. In 1980, the CBS network program "60 Minutes" featured Dr. Willard and the water, showing fruits and plants that had grown to many times their normal size, allegedly because of treatment with Willard water. Thereafter, a national sales system developed, with some distributors suggesting exaggerated indications for the product, including the treatment of arthritis, acne, anxiety, nervous stomach, hypertension, ulcers, hair growth, and food preservation, in addition to serving as a laundry aid and a treatment for bovine and feline leukemia.

The Willard family has ackowledged that the product does not have the capability to cure disease. The FDA does not recognize Willard water as an approved drug and does not recognize claims of medical benefits for the product.

Chemistry

The formula of Willard water appears to have changed over the decades. Analysis of Willard water products by the FDA found that they contain various combinations of rock salt, lignite, sodium metasilicate, sulfated castor oil, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate.

Summary

Willard water is a solution of electrolytes and other compounds, and had originally been developed as an industrial cleanser. Over the past 60 years, exaggerated claims have been made for the product, including its use for the treatment of various diseases. There are no data to suggest that the product is of any significant therapeutic value.