👩‍⚕️ When someone swallows poison or overdoses on medication, doctors often administer activated charcoal - a purified, medical-grade form with vastly superior adsorptive properties compared to regular charcoal. This specialized carbon acts like a molecular sponge, binding toxins and chemicals directly in the stomach and intestines before they can enter the bloodstream.⁠ ⁠ Once the poison attaches to the charcoal particles, this bound complex travels through the digestive system and gets naturally eliminated from the body. Activated charcoal excels at trapping organic poisons like pesticides and common medications such as aspirin or acetaminophen.⁠ ⁠ Timing is crucial for effectiveness - the treatment works best when administered within the first hour or two after poisoning occurs. The longer the delay, the more poison gets absorbed into circulation, reducing the charcoal's ability to prevent systemic toxicity. This simple yet powerful intervention has saved countless lives by interce...