Delaware journal., 1827-10-26
ON TIE USE OF CHARCOAL,

Asa Cathurtic--i,acases Of obstinate costiue1css,
DR.. Danie has lately published some cases Illus
trative Of the effects Of charcoal IN cases of oDst
nate constipation. In the first case which occurred
to him. after having employed lt usual treatment OF
bleeding, warm bath. and mercural purges. alded
by ialap, castor OIL with other active medicines OIL
this kind, without success. he conceived mat Ia
vorable opportunity ha occurred for trying the c~
cacy Of charcoal
eave,o hv has afnrned US, table spoonful
Of evety half hour aud at the expiration OF abous
hours my patients bowels were freely evacuated
| The discharges. which consisted chiefly OF thiek
mucu,. were coored hy the charcoal. The medi-
cine was then discontinued, and castor oil suosttu-
ed the latter, however, evacuatlng but partially.
had recourse again to the charcoal, winch was cof
tnued until the patient recovered. My obserVatlahs
since have Convinced me Of Ire necessity OF continue
ing the CHARCOAL until the discharges are no longer
marked bv the presence of slime or mncus, which
have found to abound in very considerable quantl-
ties, in all cases Of constipation which have fallen
under nv care. And think the existence OF this
matter in the nestines. may explain the cause OF
Il failure not only Of powerful eneniata but OF catar'
tics, to evacuate them. Lining as It most proba'
bly does the chief or whole of the bowels 1t pro.
tects their surface from the influence ot the medic
r cines.
s.The charcoal probably exercises chemical lu@
hnence upun this matter. The excavations pr00ucS.
ed by the charcoal appear to be composed chiefly OF
this article and the mucus slime intimately blen'
i ded Since this case, have used the charcoal IN
a or IS other instances. and always will, completes
success In this disease the suerngs OF the patient
# are usually extremely great and have
d since adopting the charcoal. attempted TO relieye
them by other cathartcs which operate more speedi"
w; but have invariably failed, and was afterwards
!, compelled to have recourse to that remedy some
- times however, not until the third and fourth days
of this disease and always with decided advantage.
}. Further experience has convinced me- that the most
speedy. as well the most certain rehef. is 10 INC
" obtained from the free use of charcoals 81 IL Goes
If not wholly relieve awa very much niltgates the
" pan in six or ,ht hours rom the period OF ITS first
i administration; and within ny observation the pa
y tent has always been entirely composed before I,s
i operation Of the medicine upon the bowels ..
" "ro many, the tardv operation Of this medicine
may appear as serious objection 70 its use. 1T was
l., formerly so to me /; but siEce have been eohvine
% ed of its certain efficacy. and that, although it may
n not act upon the bowels in "a hours, even after s
y first exhibition, yet that it will in one-third OF lhs
;, time very much relieve if not wholly remove the
II palms, nc. This objection appears comparatively
d unmportan for what avas few hours in the cure
of disease, if control the sutterngs OF our
S patient, and afterwards certainly relieve him
s In regard to the dose OF this medicine, the rua
. which have pursued is to give ita freely and as
q frequently as the stomach will allow. Tbequanlity
. required is considerable. 1t has happy influence
9 nuning the irrtability of the stomach, when ne-
thing else which have used would control the nat.
Il sea aud vomiting of the patient; thus fulfilling the
d double intention of aeviatiny very distressing
J. symptom, and then removing the disease itself.
r usually give from to three table spooniuls OF tho
charcoal every half hour whenever the stomach be-
xt comes over-charged with the medicine, the excess a
at thrown off, and the stomach is again quiet. give
in lime water. milk, or water alone, the vehicle hay.
v ing appeared to me unimpostant. London Aedica'
d. Repository.