664 
G. J. GOUBEAUD. 
capsules as quickly as possible and give immediately. The quan¬ 
tity which I usually give is four ounces. A very neat way to 
give it and also to have it ready for immediate use is to heat the 
charcoal until red hot, fill capsules, cover them, place in wide¬ 
mouthed bottles, cover tops of capsules with cotton so as to 
prevent caps from coming off while being carried, cork bottles 
securely, seal with wax and store away in a dry place for future 
use. The bottle must be hermetically sealed. 
To those wishing to prove for themselves the correctness of 
my views by a personal comparison and practical test, I will 
simply state that if they will collect any gas in a glass retort, 
place a piece of charcoal in the retort and note the result, I 
doubt little if any gas will be absorbed by the charcoal, the 
amount depending upon the freshness of the charcoal; now heat 
the same piece of charcoal, place in the retort with gas and note 
the result. I hardly think any gas will remain in the retort. 
I have experimented further, but this experiment will be suffi¬ 
cient to establish my claim. It is not only necessary for us to 
heat the charcoal until it is too hot to handle, we must heat it 
till red hot, allow time to sufficiently cool, place in capsules, 
cork them, and in a very short time the internal heat will pass 
off so that it can be given. Still, if it were possible for us to give 
it in the red-hot state the action would be still more positive and 
rapid, for in the cooling the charcoal will absorb the gases that 
are in a normal atmosphere as well as in an abnormal atmos¬ 
phere. The object in heating it is to drive off all those gases 
that are in the charcoal so that it will be as devoid of gaseous 
matters as it is possible to have it. It makes no difference what 
the gases are that are in it, for the less gas it has in its structure 
the more will it absorb, and vice versa. However, I do not think 
it advisable for us to administer it in the red-hot state, esne- 
/ j 
cially if the owner be present and our case terminate fatally, for 
the capsule might dissolve in the pharynx and with, expiration 
the animal will exhale sparks of fire, and if the latter takes 
place the probabilities are that we would have to defend a suit 
for damages. 
