Willard Water
Willard's water , catalyst altered water , CAW , carbonaceous activated water , Biowater
 
Clinical Overview
Uses
Historically used as a cure-all or panacea, however there are no proven pharmacological effects of   Willard Water . In the past, it has been used as an industrial cleanser. The FDA does not recognize   Willard Water as safe or effective.

Dosing
Dosages vary according to application (eg, whether product is used in humans, pets or livestock, or plants). Review manufacturer's directions before using. When using   Willard Water products manufactured by CAW Industries, Inc., any diluted solutions should be refrigerated for maximum benefits; boiling or freezing does not alter the efficacy of the products.

Contraindications
Avoid use in patients with known hypersensitivity reactions to any of the   Willard Water ingredients.

Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions
None well documented.

Adverse Reactions
The original manufacturers of   Dr. Willard's Water , CAW Industries, Inc., claim that   Willard Water has been analyzed by many reputable laboratories and always has found the product to be nontoxic, nonmutagenic, and noncarcinogenic.

Toxicology
No toxicity had been reported to the FDA as of 1982, and the product has not been generally associated with significant toxicity problems.

 
History
  Willard Water is a product with a history that dates to the early 20th century. John Wesley Willard, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology developed this product. 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.” 1
However, over the years, the product became legendary among townspeople who used   Willard 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, and baldness, and for food preservation, in addition to serving as a laundry aid and a treatment for bovine and feline leukemia. 1 , 2
The Willard family has acknowledged that the product does not have the capability to cure disease.
 
Chemistry
The formula of   Willard Water appears to have changed over the decades. The FDA has found that various products contain combinations of rock salt, lignite, sodium metasilicate, sulfated castor oil, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate.
The original manufacturers of   Dr. Willard's Water , CAW Industries, Inc., document the following recipe on their Web site: water, sodium metasilicate, sulfated castor oil, CAW micelle, refined lignite, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. During   Willard Water preparation, the molecular structure of water is altered by a catalyst and a “CAW micelle” is created, “making it behave in a manner that heretofore has not been reported in the literature,” as stated by Dr. Willard himself. 1 , 2
 
Uses and Pharmacology
Recent literature searches find no peer-reviewed scientific studies on   Willard Water . There is, however, continued interest in “genuine”   Willard Water , even the incorporation of it into herbal products (ie, supplements, herbs, foods, vitamins, soaps), which claim to use the “real” or original recipe.
The reported uses of   Willard Water are printed in the US Government Printing Office Committee Publication #96-240: A Briefing on Catalyst Altered Water by the Subcommittee on Health and Long Term Care of the Select Committee on Aging, U.S. House of Representatives, 96th Congress Second Session, July 7, 1980, Rapid City, South Dakota. Applications of   Willard Water include the following: animal shampoo and itch reliever, fish tank purifier, injury (wound/cut/burn) healer, seed starter, prolongation of life of cut flowers, and houseplant fertilizer. Many human testimonials are also available, including the following: wound healing, alleviation of pain, dermatology application (ie, clear complexion), mild tranquilizer, hair care (ie, control frizz and dandruff), relief of sore throat, and potential antibacterial properties.   Willard Water also may increase enzyme activity (eg, assimilate nutrients more efficiently) and immune system functioning. 1
Animal Data   Research reveals no animal data regarding the use of   Willard Water for any condition.
Clinical Data   Research reveals no clinical data regarding the use of   Willard Water for any condition.
 
Administration & Dosage
Dosages vary according to application (eg, whether product is used in humans, pets or livestock, or plants). Review manufacturer's directions before using. When using   Willard Water products manufactured by CAW Industries, Inc., any diluted solutions should be refrigerated for maximum benefits; boiling or freezing does not alter the efficacy of the products. 1
 
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
 
Interactions
None well documented.
 
Adverse Reactions
No clinical data.
 
Toxicology
No toxicity had been reported to the FDA as of 1982, and the product has not been generally associated with significant toxicity problems. CAW Industries, Inc., the original manufacturers of   Dr. Willard's Water , claim that   Willard Water has been analyzed by many reputable laboratories and always has been found to be nontoxic, nonmutagenic, and noncarcinogenic. 1
 
References
 

1. The Official Willard Water Web site. Available at: http://www.dr-willardswater.com . Accessed April 20, 2004.

 

2. Doc Willard's Wonder Water [transcript]. 60 Minutes . CBS television. November 23, 1980. Available at: http://www.dr-willardswater.com/sixty.html .