What is the origin of the expression ‘born with a silver spoon in his mouth’?

Most people know that the phrase ‘born with a silver spoon in his mouth’, when used today, is a reference to a person born into wealth or a person who has inherited money without working for it. However, have you ever wondered about the origin of this saying?

In the 1700s, when plagues were commonplace, it was discovered that babies fed with silver spoons were healthier and afforded more protection from these horrendous illnesses.

This was not the first time that silver had been noted for it’s healing qualities. The father of western medicine, Hippocrates, stated that silver could heal wounds and control disease. Sailors would put silver coins in barrels of water to prevent sickness. Even Tsar Alexander of Russia used silver lined casks to cleanse drinking water for his army, a practice continued by the Russian army until the Second World War.

Today, the anti-bacterial properties of silver are used widely by the medical profession to treat burns and wounds. Ionised silver dressings promote the production of new cells and increase the rate at which wounds heal. Silver is recognised as an antidote for food poisoning and is used to help sanitise water supplies.

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