Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-22
Irritable
Colon Called
Unstable
Habitual Cathartie Use
Revealed as Cause
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

AAE hiistdpit Npiott Jus 1913
i suggested by DR.. John Kan
tor as a better name than the
irritable colon or fcolitis for the
form of functional digestive dis
case which Is combination OF
q general feeling OF abdominal
discomfort with localized
Z symptoms In the large intestine.
At least as per cent OF the
patients who come to q large
clinic for digestive diseases, II
has been reported by DR.. Sara
Jordan, have nervous disturb
ances for which treatment OF
the colon 10 the outstanding re-
Quirement.
Everybody. including the pa.
tent, realizes that q great deal
of the trouble caused by this
condition Is due to q nervous
makeup, but II ia also true that
In most cases there Ia some
localized spot or physical con-
dition which In In the digestive
tract, and unless this Is cor
rccted all the psychology In
the world Is wasted and in
effective.
T,HE patient with an unstable
i colon has usually abused
himself with the hahitual use
of drugs, particularly cathartics,
faddy diets, overwork. lack OF
,,ar~~.tSt>.~ - kk~ vsnraasttU far
a period Of rest and q con.
tinual jumping from one form
of treatment to another, de-
pending upon the advice given
him by different neighbors.
None of these patients seem
10 realize that their colons are
individuals themselves. and that
what was good for an old lady
who died In Yarmouth, Mass,
in 1870 IL not necessarily good
for them.
The symptoms Of this form
OF digestive disorder are pre-.
dominantly abdominal distress
and distention..
This makes everybody feel at
some TIM or another that he
should have a cathartic and
most of the patients are habit
ual cathartic users.
The fact that this makes the
colon more unstable and more
irritable In something that they
do not take the trouble to
analyze.
Distention Is associated with
gas distress and usually occurs
regularly after meals.
Almost always this is due TO
some localized form Of irritation.
Nausea and vomiting occur In
very small percentage OF
cases; a few have diarrhea,
The constipation complained
of by these patients, when
analysed. usually means that
they have been taking laxatives
over a period Of years until they
are dependent on them.
THE puzzling thing to the ply
l. sician about these patients
is that he can usually find
nothing to account for their
symptoms.
They are seldom underweight,
their blood is unchanged. they
have no recognized or standard
disease, the X-ray shows no
change in the rate of stomach
or intestinal movement, except
occasionally when they are in
acute distress.
The treatment Is principally
directed toward relieving ten
sion, getting them out OF the
cathartic habit and putting
them on a diet which suits their
particular and individual colons.
People write and ask me for
a diet for colitis. There La no
diet for colitis that suits every
body and the proper diet has to
be found by a patient and his
physician.
Or course, the diet should
be easily digestible and non.
irritating, well-cooked. and
chewed and eaten under calm
circumstances which leave the
mind free.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
A. c.: Is it harmful to battle
the feet in EPSON salts for burn
ing, hurting feet?
Answer-No, II Is a very
good form of treatment.