Activated charcoal, emesis, and gastric lavage in aspirin overdose.

It is common practice to try to prevent intestinal absorption of ingested poisons. Controversy continues about the relative effectiveness of charcoal, ipecacuanha, and lavage in salicylate overdose,' but no study has yet compared all three methods. This study of simulated aspirin overdose in volunteers aimed to compare the effectiveness of gastric lavage, emesis induced by ipecacuanha, and activated charcoal. We also compared how easily these procedures could be performed in a busy accident and emergency department and their effects on the volunteers.