CHAECOAL 277 



Action. — Charcoal is essentially a Deodorant and Ab- 

 sorbent. It possesses the power to absorb gases like other 

 porous substances. Ordinarily it holds oxygen and when it 

 comes in contact with decomposing matter it gives up its 

 oxygen and at the same time absorbs the gaseous products 

 of the decomposing substance. In this way it hastens the 

 fermentation by oxidation and, while not a sufficiently power- 

 ful oxidizer to act as a germicide or antiseptic, yet it may 

 favor the growth of aerobic rather than anserobic organisms. 

 The latter particularly produce foul-smelling and 'toxic 

 bodies. So it may be seen that charcoal acts directly to 

 absorb gases and indirectly to prevent the formation of the 

 more undesirable fermentations. It was formerly thought 

 that charcoal only acted as an absorbent in the dry state 

 but it is almost as efficient when wet. 



Charcoal is not absorbed and escapes from the bowels 

 unchanged. There is no material difference between the 

 action of wood and animal charcoal. Externally charcoal 

 acts as a Dessicant, Deodorant, and, indirectly, as an Antisep- 

 tic by absorption of the body fluids on which germs subsist. 

 If administered continually in large quantities charcoal may- 

 produce mechanical obstruction in the bowels, and it is 

 therefore employe^ in conjunction with laxatives. 



Uses External. — ^Charcoal is applied as a dtisting powder 

 with astringents and antiseptics upon ulcers, galled and raw 

 surfaces. The following combination is useful: charcoal, 4: 

 parts ; salicylic acid, 2 parts ; burnt alum, 1 part. It is also 

 used in flaxseed meal poultices upon foul, sloughing parts. 



Uses Internal. — Charcoal is employed occasionally in 

 indigestion, chronic gastric and intestinal catarrh, and 

 diarrhoea, accompanied by flatiilence and mucous discharges. 

 Charcoal possesses the power of attracting and holding 

 alkaloids in its substance, and so may be used in large doses 

 as an antidote in poisoning by alkaloidal drugs, as opium, 

 nux vomica and aconite. Its action is slow, and other 

 means, as tannic acid, emetics and the stomach tube, are 

 more efficient. 



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