Part 13 (1/2)

Many persons suffering from chronic constipation drink very little or no water. As a consequence, they are a sort of dirty, dried-up plant, with but little juice of life in them.

Others, again, equally unclean, or more so, take a moderate amount of fluid every day, and present a more or less roly-poly appearance, with considerable abdominal distention, due to malnutrition and gases. Of course, their eyes, skin, tongue, breath, and lack of vim and vigor tell the story of a long process of self-poisoning, with every now and then the eventuation of a storm of foulness, called a bilious attack--meaning an overflow of filth. Death often brings about a radical change in such poisoned bodies.

Now, what can a prescriber of a gastro-intestinal ejector expect to accomplish by disturbing the maleconomy of this apparatus? Usually he expects that considerable trouble will ensue; consequently, he will add belladonna or some other soothing drug to mitigate the act of expulsion.

The ejector (called laxative, purgative, cathartic) occasions irritation, which sets up twisting, writhing, rumbling of the bowels, accompanied with a shower of liquid into the ca.n.a.l (as tears fill the eyes from the effects of sand or a blow), which liquid mingles again with the putrid refuse materials, from which it had been recently absorbed, and, mingling, proceeds to fill up the normal and abnormal s.p.a.ces just described, _to be again reabsorbed into the system_. Oh, the foulness of it all! The spirits of the departed, as well as the still incarnate patients, demand of the healing art safe and sane hygienic methods of cure. _The enema, regularly and properly used, is the remedy par excellence._

Those that suffer from chronic constipation are usually deficient in the quant.i.ty and quality of intestinal secretions. Physic increases the depletion of the intestinal juices. Of the watery secretion forced into the bowels, four-fifths are reabsorbed into the system, plus poisons and filth. The system soon becomes accustomed to the irritation of drugs, and requires an ever-increasing amount. These irritate and increase the chronic inflammation of the lower bowel, often to the extent of a discharge of blood.

Straining effort to induce defecation is injurious. The use of ma.s.sage, of vibratory exercises, of electricity; the spraying of cold water on the abdomen, etc.,--none of them are calculated to remove or even to relieve the proct.i.tis and colitis.

The temperature of the water used for an enema should be about one hundred degrees. It should be taken at least twice daily, preferably on retiring at night and soon after breakfast, at regular times, if possible. Such practice obviates the need of large injections.

In beginning the use of the enema it is well to inject from a half to a pint of water, and expel it. This const.i.tutes a preliminary injection.

Frequently it is desirable to take another preliminary injection before taking the large one, which latter is variously called ”flus.h.i.+ng the colon,” ”taking an enema,” ”taking an internal bath” or ”a washout,”

etc. It is essential first to get rid of the feces and gases in the r.e.c.t.u.m, so that they be not sent back when you proceed to flush the colon.

NO. 2.

OBJECTIONS TO THE USE OF ENEMA ANSWERED.

The privilege of raising objections belongs to the ignorant as well as to the intelligent. But the objector is under as great obligations to state his reasons as the advocate.

The _first_ plausible objection to the use of the enema is that it is not natural.

Admitting this charge, I should say that, inasmuch as proct.i.tis, colitis, and constipation are unnatural, the use of a preternatural or, in other words, a rational means to overcome the consequences of these diseases is imperative. The enema is such a means.

Can any one that suffers from proct.i.tis, etc., have a natural stool?

Unnatural conditions require preternatural aids, as we all know. The injected water dilates the constricted portion of the gut and arouses a revulsive impulse to expel the invading water. In obeying this impulse the imprisoned feces, gases, etc., are ejected with the water.

It may be unnatural to put water into the r.e.c.t.u.m, etc., but once there its expulsion from healthy bowels would be quite natural. No natural action can be expected from unhealthy bowels; they do the best they can under the circ.u.mstances. Eye-gla.s.ses, false teeth, crutches, etc., are unnatural but invaluable aids, but no more so than is the enema as a means of relief from overloaded bowels. The enema, moreover, be it noted, not only aids the system by relieving it of its loads; it cleanses and soothes an organ that must be kept at work and perform its functions even when invaded by disease.

Surely it is unhygienic and irrational to ignore the valuable service of the enema in cases in which the bowels are in an unnatural condition.

The _second_ objection is that the water will wash away the mucus from the mucous membrane of the bowels and leave them dry and parched, and thus apt to crack and break in two. I would remind the objector that, since about 75 per cent. of the normal feces is water, it seems strange that so great a quant.i.ty of water in contact with the mucous surface of the bowels should not also cause dryness.

The integument of the body and that of the mucous membrane are similar in structure, yet whoever had a fear of producing dryness of the skin by much application of water? The mucous membrane is simply the skin turned inward; and since it is much more vascular it is less apt to become dry--if, indeed, its dryness were at all possible. The objector should also remember that the body is composed of over 80 per cent. of water--an organism not to be made dry or parched by the application of water to the skin or to the mucous membrane two or three times a day.

The mucous membrane of the lower bowel is not unlike that of the mouth, throat, or stomach. Do you realize how often the upper end of the intestinal ca.n.a.l is washed or bathed daily with liquids, soft and hard drinks, hot and cold, especially by those who have formed the drink habit instead of the enema habit?

They have no fear of drying the mucous membrane thereby; but if you can instil this fear they will increase the quant.i.ty with pleasure.

This second objection, being the result of too vivid an imagination and too little reflection, is a very nonsensical objection indeed.

A _third_ objection is that if you begin the use of the enema you will have to continue its use; you can't stop, and, lo and behold! the enema habit is formed--a new habit in addition to the many habits civilized man is already carrying; the constipated habit, the physic habit, the sand, bran, sawdust-food habit, the muscular peristaltic habit, etc.--and with all these habits the poor victim of proct.i.tis and intestinal foulness wonders that he is alive.

Usually the first symptom of proct.i.tis is constipation, and for relief the enema habit should be formed and continued while the constipation remains. When the proper means are found to remove the intestinal inflammation--proct.i.tis and colitis--then the constipation will disappear, and with its disappearance the enema habit can be discontinued. But let it be well noted that the enema is itself an aid in curing the cause, an aid superior to any other at our command. A cleanly habit ought not to be an objectionable one, especially in cases in which it is most needed to prevent toxic substances from entering the system.

A _fourth_ objection is that after taking the first enema the constipation is worse.