CONSTIPATION
"Causing a symptom to disappear is seldom the cure of
any ill; the true course is to _prevent_ the symptom."
Rings of muscle cause wormlike movements of the bowels, and so propel
forward food and waste. Weakening of these muscles or their nerve controls
from any cause, results in a "condition of the bowels in which motions
occur only when provoked by medicines or injections". In some cases though
motions occur freely, food ingested is retained too long in the digestive
tract.
The blood extracts what water it needs from the fluid waste in the large
bowel, but when the weak muscles allow this to remain too long, an excess
of moisture is removed, leaving hard, dry masses, painful to pass.
When the fæces reach the anus, they cause an uneasy feeling, which directs
us to seek relief, but if we neglect this impulse the bowel may become so
insensitive that it ceases to warn its owner of the need to evacuate.
Meantime, the muscles which expel the fæces get weak, so that every motion
needs a strong effort of will, and much harmful straining.
Much misery is caused by false modesty in the presence of others. It can
never be immodest to attend to the calls of Nature, and such
hypersensitiveness is dangerous, for rupture, piles, fissure, prolapse,
fistula, are often due to straining.
Lack of exercise weakens the intestinal and abdominal muscles. Unsuitable
or imprudent foods or drinks, indigestion, excessive worry, and anything
that lowers the general health tend to produce constipation.
Bacteria flourish freely in fæces, and though it is doubtful whether the
"Auto-intoxication" so freely ascribed to them, is supported by facts, it
cannot be doubted that, whatever the precise mechanism by which the effects
are produced, constipation does result in a lowering of the resistance to
disease. More frequent fits, colic, foul breath, headache right across the
forehead, lost appetite, drowsiness, skin eruptions, irritability,
insomnia, melancholia and anæmia (especially the "green sickness" of women,
usually connected with menstrual irregularities) are but a few of many ills
partly or wholly due to or consequent upon constipation.
The symptoms of constipation of the small bowel are dry stools, usually
light in colour.
To cure this type, more water should be drunk, so that the waste may pass
to the large bowel in a fluid state. Drink freely between meals, especially
in summer, when profuse perspiration often causes obstinate constipation.
The symptoms of constipation of the large bowel are furred tongue, foetid
breath, sallow or jaundiced complexion, and mottled stools of round, hard
balls, the first portion being very firm, and the remainder nearly liquid.
There are occasional attacks of colic.
The first step towards cure is to form regular habits. At a suitable time,
say shortly after breakfast, or after supper if you suffer from
hæmorrhoids, go to the lavatory, whether you feel uncomfortable or not.
Wait patiently, do not try to hasten matters by violent straining, and if
for some weeks there is little improvement, do not despair, for the habits
of a lifetime are not overcome in five minutes, just because you have
decided to amend your careless ways. A short, brisk walk beforehand often
helps.
If necessary, use a chamber and "squat" as savages do. In this position,
the thighs support the abdomen, and force is exerted without straining.
Massaging the abdomen by firmly rubbing it round and round, clockwise, with
the hand, often does good, as does pressure with a finger on the flesh
between the end of the backbone and the anus. Try every method before
taking purgatives, for with patience and determination these are rarely
necessary.
Carefully cooked and "concentrated", easily digested and "pre-digested"
foods contain little residue; every meal should contain some indigestible
matter to stimulate the intestines. Brown bread, porridge, lettuce, cress,
apples and coarse vegetables are all good for this purpose, but if taken
too freely may cause heartburn and flatulence. Meat, milk, fish, eggs and
most patent foods have not enough waste. Boiled milk is very constipating.
Purgatives, injections and medicines, alone, are useless, for the bowel
becomes still more insensitive to natural calls under the artificial
stimulation of drugs, on which it becomes so entirely dependent that
without their aid it will not act.
It may be necessary to clean out the bowel by an enema.
Make a lather with clean warm water and plain soap, and fill the enema
syringe (a half-pint size is useful). Smear the nozzle with vaseline, lean
forward and insert into the anus, pointing a little to the left. Press the
bulb, withdraw the nozzle, retain the liquid a few moments and a desire to
go to stool will be felt.
A simpler plan is to buy glycerin suppositories. One is inserted into the
anus and acts like an injection. It must be clearly understood that these
are emergency measures.
If internal piles come down at stool, do not allow them to remain and get
engorged with blood. See that your hands are scrupulously clean, and your
nails closely cut and free from dirt; then moisten the middle finger with a
little vaseline taken to the lavatory for the purpose, and gently return
the hæmorrhoids, sitting down for a few minutes to retain them.
A mild purge may be taken once a week with advantage. Glauber's Salts
(Sodium Sulphate), Cascara Sagrada, and liquid paraffin are all good, while
Castor Oil Globules are suited for children.
For flatulence, take a 10-minim capsule of Terebine after meals, or
charcoal, either as French Rusks ("Biscols Fraudin") or a teaspoonful of
powdered charcoal between meals. One drop of creosote on a lump of sugar,
peppermint water, and sal volatile may also be used. Sufferers should toast
bread, and use sugar sparingly.
Patent medicines almost invariably contain a brisk aperient.
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