Dracula and Me

I shall be giving a talk on vampires the week after next, and, synchronistically an e-edition of Dracula has appeared on Goodreads, featuring a new introduction written by m.
Looking over it again it strikes me how practically everything we know about vampires is wrong - which, rather fortunately will be the theme of my talk.
I shall be looking at some on this blog in the next couple of weeks to get my thoughts in order for the occasion.
First - let's look at silver. We know that silver bullets are for verevolves (although this was not always true) but when did silver become a problem for vampires? There are some ingenious explanations: a silver cross (or crucifix - there is a difference, believe me) could be powerful against vampires because, one author suggests, it would protect the major arteries of the throat - only if it was wrapped round, surely - if I wear a cross it rests on the base of my throat or on my chest - silvered mirrors betray vampires by refusing to reflect them - sometimes...and silver does have antibacterial properties...so perhaps it could cauterise an infectious bite...
But a short story written early in the nineteenth century features a female vampire 'the terrific Brunhilda' who will only wear - silver jewellery...
More later but does anyone have any views on silver and vampires?