Does the monkey eat the coal?

Answer 1

Charcoal-eating is one of the earliest forms of medication in history. Charcoal has an incredible capacity to adsorb (bind monotoxins and endotoxins into itself). Charcoal can adsorb up to 200 times its own weight. Most animals eat charcoal, especially from recent bonfires. Monkeys are among the greatest consumers of charcoal in the animal kingdom. This is quite understandable when one considers the fact that monkeys eat a lot of Terminalia Catappa (Indian almond or fruit tree) and Mangifera indica ( Mango). These two plants have a high concentration of phenols and other toxic alkaloids, which could poison the monkey. A person who drinks a high dose of the infusion of matured Terminalia or Mango leaves is in danger of being poisoned. But charcoal has the capacity to adsorb these toxins and deactivate them. In East Africa where elephants still live close to human habitation, it is not uncommon to hear of elephants invading a village or compound and carving away charcoals from their bonfire for consumption. Charcoal is a good remedy for food poisoning, infections and lack of vitality.

Note that the primary reason why animals eat charcoal is not to cure a sickness but to detoxify, that is, to prevent sickness. They eat charcoal to counteract the effect of toxins. They do not wait till they are sick. They instinctively eat detoxicants to avoid being sick. When rats are fed with pesticide, they eat clay and charcoal to counteract the effect. Once there is an imbalance in the body, the body sends signals by generating heat, shivering, vomiting, diarrhoea and sweating. All these are not sicknesses but signals that the body is battling against toxins. The most natural reaction, then, is to stop moving about, take a rest, stay off food and allow the process of rejuvenation to complete.