The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-06
THIRD AND LAST LESSON IN
COLONS PHYSIOLOGY


TRENT enema is gesture of the past
We regular doctors are beginning to
learn physiology. Nowadays we en-
terrain and foster no decisions that
it is possible to feed patient in this
way when the natural ingestion of
food is interrupted.
To be sure, it is still common
practice to administer saline solution
(salt dissolved in water) by this
method. We know that water is freely
absorbed from the colon or large in
testine. Possibly some salt dissolved
in water is absorbed. Among sur
geons-who. as a class, are generally
pretty dumb and unskilled in the
science and art of therapeutics or
treatment other than operative, it is
customary to add some dextrose or
glucose to the water administered by
enema. This is done on the theory
that some glucose or deXtrose is alb
sorbed from the large bowel into the
blood.
Recent investigation of the ques-
ton has failed to furnish satisfactory
proof that glucose or deXtrose so ad-
ministered is absorbed. Accurate SCI
entific tests show no appreciate in
crease in the amount of deXtrose in
the blood after the careful admins
tration of enemaS containing various
amounts of deXtrose in solution. Most
of the sugar so administered was re-
covered from the dejecta after the
lapse of 21a hours. But not all of it.
The investigators concluded that a
small quantity of the dextrose in the
enema may be carried to the upper
part of the large bowel by reverse
peristalsis, and remain there to un-
dergo slow fermentation or later re-
turn to the lower part OF the colon.
The practical conclusion we must
draw from these precise studies is
that the practice of administering
glucose or dextrose in enemas is of
questionable value SO far as the nour-
ishment of the patient is concerned,
though it may be as useful as are
enemas of salt solution for providing
needed water to the body.
For our particular purpose the les
son to be drawn from these physio-
logical facts is simple one and a
sound one: We need never worry
about the absorption of any harmful
waste products, alleged poisons or real
poiSons of any kind from the large
intestine. Such thing can happen
in the presence of grave pathological
LESSONS or injuries, of course, but not
in the circumstances of everyday life.
Don't let the charlatans, the hum
bug diet experts and the fancy nos
trum eXploiters get your goat. When
they get onto the line about the
toxins" or products of putrefaction"
which they would have you think re-
sponsible for imaginary "autointoXi-
cation" give 'em a big horse laugh
and ask them to cite the scientific
authority for their vicious teaching.
They'll be stumped there. though of
course they can rattle off all kinds
Of names if you let 'em give you mere
opinions or arbitrary assertions IN lieu
of scientific facts.
This is my last word on the subject
for the present. I hope these little
lessons in physiology will help some
of you glum birds who have taker
| the old Quack line too seriously.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The Dentist Who Couldn't Eat Eggs
failed to see the logic in your ar.
ticle about the Dentist Who Couldn'
Eat Eggs. If there is albumen in tn,
urine doesn't that show the patien
can't metabolize such food, just a!
sugar in the urine shows the dia
bette can't metabolize carbohydrates
Who has proved 1t absurd to GU
down the intake Of albuminous foot
in such case?-(M. ID
Answer-The point Is that no on,
has shown that there is any such re
lation as you surmise between the in
take Of albuminous or nitrogenou
food and the presence of albumen IL
the urine. On the contrary we know
that patients whose urine contain
albumen can and do metabolize O
utilize eggs, meats and milk an.
cheese without particular difficult,
and as rule should not try to avoit
such food. The absurdity In the cas-
Of the dentist lies in his ready as
sumption that his little knowledge !
sufficient. I printed the article be
cause I fancied many laymen hav
similar misconceptions. There is {
certain class Of laymen, wiseacres, q
I call them, who will not and canno
learn that the old theory that mea
eating or the use Of heterogeneous food
| in the diet Is hard on the kidneys ha