Let this be the Bah Humbug thread...

[Quatermass]

I thought that was charcoal, which is very different from actual coal. Only thing they have in common is the large amounts of carbon, and the colour.

[Sister Jennifer]

Ah yeah, you're right. Charcoal is wood. That's the stuff you use orally.

Still, a coal enema. In two weeks you could have a diamond. If you're stressed that is.

[Del]

You'd have to really really want that diamond!

Though... my sister was once forced to bite the bullet for a few days after her son swallowed her wedding ring.

[Ghost]

Ah yeah, you're right. Charcoal is wood. That's the stuff you use orally.

Still, a coal enema. In two weeks you could have a diamond. If you're stressed that is.

worst case of constipation ever

[cheery_j.]

I thought that was charcoal, which is very different from actual coal. Only thing they have in common is the large amounts of carbon, and the colour.

Wikipedia says the medical stuff can be made from plant material, but also from other sources like lignite, coal and peat.

[Catch-up]

[Tonyblack]

I didn't know Jedward had a sister.

[Who's Wee Dug]

You're using a banned word on the forum Tony Jjjjjjjj..... nope just can't say it.

[Penfold]

Especially for you this Christmas Dug!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_PGQNz4 ... 3BA8D2D34D

Apologies to everyone for posting the above........I lasted 21 seconds before I had to switch it off.

[chillicamper]

I lasted through 10 seconds of that before my ears started bleeding. That was truly horrible!

[Sister Jennifer]

at least Jed & Ward have each other.

[ChristianBecker]

I thought that was charcoal, which is very different from actual coal. Only thing they have in common is the large amounts of carbon, and the colour.

If by actual coal you mean the fossil stuff, then yes, it's quite different and I don't know of any case where it is administered orally (except perhaps in homoeopathy*). In German we don't usually differentiate between charcoal and coal (at least I don't). We have Steinkohle and Holzkohle, which can be translated as woodcoal and stonecoal, but usually we just say coal or rather Kohle.

*Probably not. Found one source only that was about testing it as a potential homoeopathic medicine.
Edit: Oh, found some more. Seems like it has veterinary uses - or is believed to have.

[Tonyblack]

Pregnant women have been known to get a craving to eat coal - at least when coal was a popular household fuel. I don't know what they crave now though.

[Quatermass]

Pregnant women have been known to get a craving to eat coal - at least when coal was a popular household fuel. I don't know what they crave now though.

Fish fingers and custard?

[Del]

It's called pica . Lots of women will eat the walls. There is actually huge open international market for the pica market. Tons of sterilized charcoal and also clay is sent around the world everyday. Chalk is often eaten. My doctor said his wife practically ate his house whenever she was pregnant. I had it. I tried coconut.. hard apples.. nothing worked except charcoal. The minute the baby was born it went away. I got really worried when it didn't go away the second time. I did a huge amount of research. Some specialists say a very low iron count triggers it... and yes the minute I had an iron infusion stopped. Couldn't imagine it now.