1. THE MIRACLE OF
ADSORPTION

2. Charcoal sources
• Wood or wood products
• Lignite coal
• Animal byproducts

3. Making Charcoal
Heated in Kiln
Activated
Powdered

4. Activation of Charcoal
• Heated to high temp
• Steam injected at
precise time
• Surface area roughly
doubled

5. Activated Charcoal’s Amazing
Adsorbency
• One quart of
activated charcoal
can adsorb 80 quarts
of ammonia gas
• Between 500 and
2000 square metres to
the gram!
• Enough internal
surface area to
completely cover
several football fields
Electron Microphotograph 2400 X
Scanned Image, carbon pores
Scanning Tunneling Microscope

6. Safety and Efficacy
• Pure carbon
• Does not impart anything to body; simply
takes away poisons
• “...there are no known side effects”
JACEP, July 8, 1979
• “The rule of thumb in administering activated charcoal
is to ‘give too much, not too little’. Studies of GI,
dermal, and respiratory exposure to activated charcoal
in animals demonstrated no toxicity...” Seminars in Veterinary
Medicine and Surgery, 11-1987

7. External Uses
Brown Recluse Spider Bite

8. Brown Recluse Bite
• Live in southern to
central USA
• Inhabit undisturbed
areas, under rocks,
furniture, in drawers,
crates, boxes, etc.
• Bite causes blood
blister, then ulceration
and necrosis
Site of Brown Recluse
spider bite on left leg,
and right forearm

9. A True Miracle Story
Dear Dr. Thrash,
Thanks for all your help. We started charcoal 8 days
after the spider bite - changed every 6 hours for 4
months. The blisters went from the ankle to the knee.
The leg was ugly with ulcers; it looked like someone
threw battery acid all over that part of the leg.
[This man’s leg recovered with almost no scarring.]

10. Charcoal Baths and Chickenpox
Dear Dr. Thrash,
Here’s my son, David,
enjoying his first charcoal
bath for chickenpox!
He had 75 on his face alone!
The bath eased his itching
almost immediately upon
entering the warm bath. He
said, “I don’t itch anymore!”
Within 4 days his lesions were
almost all gone with
minimal scarring.

11. Charcoal Internally
Intestinal Villi, Light Microsopy, 120X
•Mini dialysis
•Poisonings
•Gas, diarrhea
•Inflammation,
allergies
•Lowers
cholesterol
•Peptic ulcers

12. Acetominophen Poisoning
•80 tabs taken
•Transferred
for liver
transplant
•Charcoal
eliminated need

13. • SSlluurrrryy::11--55 TTbbss..// ggllaassss ooff wwaatteerr
• TTaabblleettss oorr ccaappssuulleess
• PPaassttee iinn ppoouullttiicceess

14. Charcoal
Convenient ffoorr ttrraavveelliinngg
•Easy to take
•Tablets for
sore throat

15. Charcoal
 Venomous bites and stings
 Infections
 Skin irritation
 Bruises
 Detoxification