I wonder how the long term effects of the boron 'cure' were.
Arthritis is parasites chewing away at your joints and their attendant infections and immune response against both making it so painful, so in the short run, the boron settling out into the joints probably killed them both. Just like it kills ants.
Who knows, maybe the boron settled in the joints keeps the parasites killed if they try to resettle. Still seems a dangerous way to do that, when zapping and the attendant herbs are so much safer, But hey, your choice, eh?