Is Charcoal Better Than Ipecac?

QUESTION: A recent crisis, when my child swallowed a whole slew of pills,
brought me to our local hospital's emergency room. They quickly administered
charcoal to my daughter, and when I asked why they didn't use ipecac, as you
once advised, answered by telling me it was "out of fashion". Well, what have
you to say about that?
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ANSWER: Fashions come and fashions go, and my old wide ties may once again be
worn without shame. In medicine we always move forward, and as new techniques
which are more effective are discovered, older but sometimes still useful
methods pass out of fashion. It is true that activated charcoal is becoming
more widely used in the treatment of poisoning and overdose of children, but
only in supervised clinics and emergency rooms. The advantage of ipecac is
that it can be kept at home, in a safe place in the medicine cabinet, as it
retains its potency for long periods of time. It is handy, and can be given
immediately after the accident, and it is effective even if the process of
induced vomiting is not the most pleasant of experiences. It also has the
disadvantage of causing problems if the vomitus is breathed into the lungs
during the process. Activated charcoal has many advantages too, as it is very
effective in binding to the chemical that has been swallowed and rendering it
inactive. And it is effective after the time when administering ipecac or
washing out the stomach becomes too late and useless. The activated charcoal
must be fresh to be effective, and so can't be kept at home for long periods.
And it's terrible stuff to try to give children, as it looks horrible, tastes
worse, and feels like sand going down. It is administered through a large
tube passed through the mouth into the stomach. New home poison treatment
kits may soon be on the market and will contain both materials, for both have
a place in the treatment of overdose and chemical poisoning. Much depends
upon what has been swallowed, and how long a period has occurred before
treatment can be started. Whatever the circumstances, even when immediate
home treatment seems effective, all such cases should be seen as soon as
possible by physicians, who can continue the necessary procedures