I overheard a woman being told to drink charcoal, by a doctor in A&E.?

Question

What would that have been for.????

she did look like a junkie, didn't want to say that, but probably did overdose..

Answer 1

For several years I worked in a hospital emergency room and one curious thing I observed was something that few people are aware of and that is whenever an overdose patient was brought into the emergency room, the very first thing a doctor would do is make the overdose patient drink activated charcoal mixed with water. During those years of seeing many overdose patients come into the ER, I never saw an overdose patient die who was conscious and who was able to drink the charcoal slurry. Because of my experience in the ER, I have, over the years, done some research on activated charcoal and discovered many beneficial properties bordering on the miraculous that makes me wonder why the benefits of it are not more well known.
Activated Charcoal is rated in Category I (Safe and Effective) by the FDA for acute toxic poisoning. It is recognized as a universal antidote -- Science News 119:3, 1981. It is listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, and the Poison Control Center recommends Activated Charcoal for use in poisoning. Activated Charcoal works by ADSORPTION, which is an Electrical Action, rather than Absorption, which is a Mechanical Action. Activated Charcoal ADSORBS MOST Organic and Inorganic Chemicals that do NOT belong in the Body, but it does NOT ADSORB nutrients as some people are afraid of, at least no studies have proven such to be the case. It will adsorb any and all medications however, and, other than in the case of an overdose, Activated Charcoal needs to be taken 2 hours before or after any medications.

Answer 2

Not that I am an expert, but many years ago we used to give charcoal mixture and tablets to people who had what is now called irritable bowel syndrome. A lot of people who were suffering pain in the gullet caused by excess gas were given charcoal to alleviate flatulence. I think though it is more likely the person was suffering from an overdose of some kind and the charcoal is used to help absorb the toxins. I guess much like the charcoal that you can buy to put in your fridge which absorbs bad odours. Hope this helps..

Answer 3

Overdose

Answer 4

Charcoal helps to reduce the effects of some drugs , so i would say she had taken an overdose.

Answer 5

Doctors in hospital probably found that she had OD on drugs of some sort and charcoal is what you are given to purge your stomach and get what ever drugs etc out of your system fast before any damage can be done .

Answer 6

Charcoal acts as a filter and neutraliser (possible an overdose of medication) and also used to clean the system out.

Answer 7

Activated Charcoal will absorb the toxins that are in her stomach. Probably an OD.

Answer 8

Overdose.

Answer 9

Most likely a recent Paracetamol overdose

Answer 10

There may be lots of reasons that I don't know about, but I do know that charcoal can be used to help remove poisons from the body, so it's possible she'd eaten or drunk something she shouldn't have done, and that they were using this method to help remove the toxins as well as pumping her stomach.