The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1919-11-08
Health Hints
Constipation.
BY Dr.. Julius n. Lewis

There is no complaint more com
monty met with than constipation.
And because it is so commonplace,
people consider it a necessary evil
and are prone to regard it with IN
difference When one realizes that
the function of the bowel movements
is to get rid of waste matters and
poisons that accumulate in the body
il is obvious that such an attitude Is
dangerous, and is no doubt respon-
sible for many of those minor com
plaints that reduce ones efficiency
Usually when interference is found
advisable, the easiest means 1T our
disposal is resorted to, namely. the
use Of pareativc drugs. This pro
ccdure not only gives just Il tempo
rary relief, but is harmful Gonsti
patton is not disease itself, but Is
an expression of some underlying dir
order which may or may not be 10
Gated IN the bowels. Therefore, the
first step toward its successful man
agemcnt must be the determination
of the causal factors, and any treat
ment, to be effective. must be direct
cd, not to the temporary improve
ment Of the symptoms which may
consist of several free bowel move
ments. but 10 the permanent removal
OF the cause The most frequent cause
is diete Food may be of such na-
ture that all of it is utilized and when
digestion is over it is completely all
aorbed LEAVING nothing solid in the
mtesiines which can be moved. Often
one hears the statement that certain
foods are constipating. They are SO
because when eaten there IS no resi-
due left upon which the bowels can
act. Therefore, the treatment Of this
form Of foods are corn, mushrooms,
cabbage. tomatoes, lettuce. string
beans. oninos, cucumhe!s, asparagus.
and bran bread. A large portion Of
these foods in the diet will leave a
residue which stimulates the intes-
tines to their fullest capacity. Pc
tatoes. white -four bread and meat
should be cut down in amount. Along
with this regulation of the diet, one
should cultivate the habit of going
to stool regularly at a certain hour
every day. whether or not the desire
is present. This treatment, to bring
the pest results, must be supplement-
cd with eercise. fresh air. and rest It
IS veil to drink q great deal al
water
If this plan Of treatment IS not
successful and immediate relief Is
urgent the use Of drugs must be re
sorted to. But one must be reminded
that their use is dangerous The bow
els form habits very easily and when
they become accustomed to drug
they will not act without such as
s.st.ncc. 1t is a very common DC
eurenee to find people who for many
ears have not had n bowel move
ment without taking a cathartie. Ca
thartics taken in such amounts are
1oisons and their continued use is
certain TO undermine the health The
ycry mldest of drugs should be used.
Some of these are in the various
forms Of aloes, cascara, SIENNA, phen-
ophthalien and podiphylin. Castor
oil is IN excellent cathartic for chill
dren but is apt to cause gripping pains
to prevent this add ten drops of
turpentine to ever ytable tablespoon
full of the oil. A good plan is to
take small dose of one of these
remedies every morning and as their
action becomes manifest, gradually
decrease the dose until none is taken
at all. For more drastic action the
so-called saline cathartics may be
ased. Some of these are EPSON
salts, Glaubers salt, Pluto water and
citated magnesia. Milk of magnesia
Is a very mild prompt acting drug
but has tendency to produce an
after effect of constipation.
II is well to avoid the many pat
cnt medicines on the market which
are sold under the name of liver
pills, bowel regulators, etc. In the
first place they are expensive in pro
portion to the amount of material
they contain, and in the second place
their composition is secret and oft
er you may be taking something that
is harmful. There is usually some
preparation in the United States
Pharmacopea that will have the same
action as any of these patented me
ticles and it is safer to buy them.