The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-03
FURTHER COLON PHYSIOLOGY

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trouble with lot of people who suf-
fer with spastic constipation, mucous
collie, colitis, or some similar complaint
is they know so many things about
the physiology and hygiene Of the all
mentary tract which amt so. The
nostrum people, quacks and fad or
cult healers as well as We orthodox
medical practitioners. have taught
them these things, and are still teach
ing the same line of hokum.
In the antecedent talk about colon
physiology We pointed out a fact that
is seldom considered, namely, that the
contents of the lower colon of man
and indeed all mammals in health is
cry, solid, formed in masses or Jumps.
1t is a common mistake to strive to
keep the colon contents liquid or fluid
by means of cathartics, freak diets,
, bowel washes and the like.
1t may be a matter OF interest,
though it has no particular hygienic
importance, that from one-fourth to
one third of the weight of the normal
contents of the lower colon in man.
malta is composed of the bodies OF
bacteria, dead and alive. These bac-
terra are not only harmless but prob
ably beneficial to the host. What does
matter and hence should be known by
everybody, is that these germs natur-
ally present in the intestine serve to
disintegrate the food residue, splitting
up gases and acids into products
which are the natural excitors or
stimuli of intestinal peristalSis or pro-
pulsion of the contents.
That's a lot for the layman to learn
in day, particularly when his head
is already stuffed with the old hokum
above mentioned. But the gist of 1t
ought to be easy to understand and
good to know: Ordinarily your own
colony of colon microbes, if not in
terfered with-this is the IMPOR-
TANT part of tiff not interfered
with the bacteria naturally present in
the intestine aid digestion and help
to keep you comfortable and well.
| Here is a little lesson which may be
difficult to learn. due to obfuscatioll
of the subject by the purveyors OF sour
| milk nostrums. I hope 1t will help
the bewildered layman to see more
clearly when I say that the propa-
ganda of the Tactic bacillus vendors
has had ten times as great an influ-
ence upon popular knowledge Of colon
hygiene as the various Bulgarian OF
Acidophilus preparations have had on
! the flora and fauna of the intestinal
tract.
That's the end of the lesson for to-
day, children. What follows is purely
of secondary interest. In the small
| intestine the motor or peristaltlc
function is regulated by or dependent
on such chemical substances as glu-
cose, lactose, amino-acids, peptone
/ glycerin and soaps, these being all
natural by-products Of digestion OF a
wholesome mixed diet. In the large
intestine the products Of bacterial
fermentation of carbohydrates. and
such gases as hydrogen and carbomc
acid gas, are more active in maintain
ing the motor function.
A year or two ago some all-arouno
specialists who know how to get front
page space when their business needs
stimulation, issued public warnings
against the practice Of eating wheat
bran and similar coarse natural foods
They implied that such foods are al
right for rabbits but too Irritating
for many upright mammals whose
ears and alirnentary canals are not *
long.
Personally, I approve Of the food ir
the form the Creator offers 1t.