The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-23

Of pep. ! can remember long ago
DR.. Clendening will answer
questions Of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
before any Of these here wars
when was just beginning to PEN
citrate the mysteries Of the science
of medicine that it was very ortho-
dox not only for the laity but in
the best scientific circles to ascribe
it 10 chronic constipation.
Then the X-ray came along and
threw some chilling doubts on the
general theory, so that the ultra
scientific could no longer hold it.
Nowadays after going through
periods in which uric acid, allergy
and upset endocrines we're given
as the cause, public opinion has
generally settled on the idea that
lack Of pep is due 10 lack Of con-
CentrdIeu NlldmlnS.
There are a few stubborn speci-
mems. however, who cling to the
old idea that constipation is the
root Of all evil and for their sakes
the thesis is worth debating today.
Correct Meaning
The average man would repudi-
ate with scorn the challenge that
he did not know the correct mean
ing of constipation. But such
might be the case. The conven-
tional arrangement of regular di-
urnal DELEGATION is a social con-
venience rather than a law Of
nature. Savage man in a state of
Nature responds to the stimulus
initiated in the movements of his
intestine by the presence of meal
in the stomach and evacuates after
each meal. But the meals may be
quite a long ways apart.
There is an oft-quoted expert
ence Of an eminent physician one
Of whose patients replied to a
question that his bowels were reg
ular although further inquiry
proved he meant once every other
Monday.
The Xray has taught US a great
deal about tbs true physiology of
the average case of constipation
and ruined some Of the older no.
tions. If barium meal is followed
through the digestive tract Of a
constipated person it will be seen
in four out Of five instances to
pass out Of the stomach and
through the small intestine at ex-
actly the same rate as that of a
normal control. After every part
Of q meal has left the small intes-
tine and entered the large intes-
tine, it normally requires about
sixteen hours for it to traverse
the entire length and come to rest
in the sigmoid colon, and this
schedule is no different in four out
Of five self-styled constipated in
dividuals than in normal ones.
, Normal Individual
The normal individual evacu-
ates the daily accumulation in the
lower bowel sometime between
breakfast and noon. Here, and
here only, does the constipated in
dividual differ. The residue of his
meal remains In the lower part Of
the large bowel sometimes for
days. At that point, and at that
point only, does the much adver-
tised stasis Of constipation occur.
This explanation clears up sew
eral widely held misconceptions
about constipation. First it knocks
out the absorption Of poison idea.
Absorption does not occur from
the lower part Of the large bowel
where the residue rests in q con-
stipsted individual. The small in
testine from which most absorp-
ton occurs is just as empty most
Of the time in the constipated in
dividual as in the normal. The
feeling Of toxicity Of poisoning
that the constipated individual has
is largely due to the cathartie
habit.
Secondly, this knowledge of the
real physiology Of constipation
knocks out the idea Of the eff
cheney Of eathartics entirely. Why
should a cathartic be employed to
stir up all the 25 feet Of the entire
intestine for the sole purpose Of
emptying the last few inches Of
that tube. An enema will do it
more efficiently. The cathartic just
irritates and rolls up all the in
sides and gives the patient that
feeling Of discomfort that is in
terpreted as meaning absorption
Of sewage.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A. B. Cts walking harmful
for one that has high blood pres
sure?
Answer:-Moderate exercise Is
beneficial for person with high
blood pressure, provided complica-
tons Of heart or kidney do not
contradict. Walking is the best
form Of moderate exercise.