Ask for it at a grocery store and you'll get a blank look. As for it at a health food store, and they'll probably have it in stock. "It" is a substance known as Willard water. Some say Willard water is good for almost everything that ails you.
Dr. John Willard was a professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. His research led him to studying the mineral properties of water. In his research, he manufactured what is known as catalyst altered water (CAW). This water was a dilute solution of various electrolytes. The H2O structure of the water was altered, but the water itself remained safe for drinking. One day in the lab, he burned himself and put his hand in a container of the CAW. His pain disappeared, he said, and the burn healed quickly and with little scarring.
Dr. Willard suffered from chemical warfare during World War II and had been exposed to high doses of radiation after the war. He was in poor health, and decided to try drinking the CAW. According to friends and family, many of his symptoms disappeared and he was feeling much better. His explanation for the change was, "The catalyst altered water (CAW) acts as a normalizer on living things not in a healthy state."
It wasn't long before word spread about Willard water and Dr. Willard and his family were soon mass-producing it. It was touted as good for human or veterinary purposes and people in the area were buying it. In 1980, the news magazine "60 Minutes" did a segment about Willard water. Highly respected veteran journalist Harry Reasoner covered the story. The conclusion was that it wasn't harmful, and might be helpful.
The web site www.dr-willardswater.com carries a great deal of information about this unusual product, as well as purchasing information from approved vendors. Willard water will not harm people or animals and it is sold in a concentrated form, to be added to quarts or gallons of water.
