Enema

“ Whatever follows the proper use of an enema, even though what follows be annoying, should not be blamed on the enema, for its action is most kindly, lessening as it does the irritation that otherwise would be more severe when the feces pass through a disease-constricted canal. ”

“ The enema does no more than kindly to dilate the constricted region, which, when dilated, evokes a harmonious concerted action of all the nerves and muscles to pass along and down the burden of feces, which, without the aid of a flood of water, they had been incapable of moving, and would have had to leave to poison the system. ”

“ The common sense learned in the treatment of external parts should be applied to such diseased portions of the body as the anus, rectum, etc. Common sense declares that an enema ought to be used on all occasions of undue retention of the contents of the bowels. It is the only sensible thing under the circum­stances. Yet, for the last four hundred years, only independent men and women have had the courage to proclaim its merits, since the subject was under the ban of both laymen and physicians. ”

“ In our early efforts to establish harmony and periodicity with the enema, it is advisable to resort to a mild vegetal laxative, in some cases, rather than to let the tongue indicate so much foulness and allow the feelings to become so intensely blue that they cannot be hidden by even the utmost effort at pleasantry. Extreme cases may call for different aids toward relief, until, one by one, these aids may be dropped—the last one to be discontinued being the enema. ”

“ The tenth objection to using an enema is in being obliged to use it from the fact of having such a disease as chronic inflammation of the rectum and colon. Every victim hates to be compelled to do a thing; and the victim of proctitis and colitis is no exception to the rule. In fact, he is beginning to realize that unless he uses it his system will be poisoned by the absorption of the sewage waste. Let the victim object to the disease that necessitates the use of the enema, and all will shortly be well. ”

“ A third objection is that if you begin the use of the enema you will have to continue its use; you can’t stop, and, lo and behold! the enema habit is formed,—a new habit in addition to the many habits civilized man is already carrying: the con­sti­pated habit, the physic habit, the sand, bran, sawdust-food habit, the muscular peristaltic habit, etc.,—and with all these habits the poor victim of proctitis and intestinal foulness wonders that he is alive. ”

“ A few sufferers will object to the time required for an enema twice a day, although they find time to eat three, or even four times a day, without any objection whatever; there is plenty of time for filling up the digestive apparatus, but no time for its normal elimination. And these miserable, go-lucky, haphazard people are always sick and unfortunate. The internal Russian and Turkish bath is demanded only by those who truly desire to be free from their bowel troubles, and from the numerous symptoms resulting from mucus absorption, con­sti­pa­tion, and auto-intoxication. ”

“ If those who suffer from rheumatic complaints or indigestion or pains caused by an unhealthy condition of the bowels take an enema of 2 lbs. of water, they would see how instantaneous is its effect. One writer on this subject says that once he was suffering from chronic indigestion and, all remedies proving futile; he had grown emaciated, but the application of the enema at once restored him his appetite, and altogether cured him of his complaint in a few days. Even ailments like jaundice can be cured by the application of the enema. ”

“ If your life is of no greater value than theirs, for leisure’s sake don’t use the enema! You will be taking too much trouble. It really should seem that the cleanliness of the skin and mucous membrane, the care we take of our bodies, is an indication and measure of our sense of refinement. ”

“ And it is much better to use an enema than to go to bed without a bowel movement. If the woman is going around, so that she can give the enema to herself, the most effective way to take it is in the knee-chest position or an approximation to this. Either a fountain or bulb syringe may be used for this purpose; a quart of water at a temperature of 110° F. should be prepared by making it into a suds with castile soap, or one tablespoonful of glycerin may be added to one pint of water. The nozle to be used is the smallest one that comes with the syringe, the so-called infant's nozle ”

“ A noble purpose in life is priceless; are not one’s spirit and body worth the time required for two enemata each day and an hour for the internal bath, if needed? I think so, and you should likewise.
The author trusts the reader will not infer that all sufferers from piles, anal fissure, pruritus ani and vulvæ, mucus channels and reservoirs, abscess, fistula, and all similar troubles, require the enema and recurrent douche appliance; the character of the disease and its symptoms must determine the requirement of the treatment. ”

“ This enema will often be found to be a very valuable aid in curing an obstinate chronic diarrhea, which is kept up by particles of feces remaining in the folds of the large intestine. If the patient is confined to bed, she should lie on the left side, with a heavy towel folded under her to prevent the bed from becoming wet; when the nurse withdraws the nozle she should make pressure on the anus with the towel, to help the patient to retain the water as long as possible. ”

“ Eyeglasses, false teeth, crutches, etc., are unnatural but invaluable aids, but no more so than is the enema as a means of relief from overloaded bowels. The enema, moreover, be it noted, not only aids the system by relieving it of its load: it cleanses and soothes an organ that must keep at work and perform its function even when invaded by disease. ”

“ An enema is an excellent remedy, and every lady should have a good enema apparatus, by which she can administer an injection to herself, and if she suffer from constipation, she should take an enema twice or three times a week, and the early morning is the best time. The clyster may be warm water, or castile soap and water, of the temperature of new milk. It may be well to give occasionally an aperient to insure a thorough clearance of the whole bowels, and castor oil, salad oil, citrate of magnesia, seidlitz powder, stewed rhubarb, or an electuary of figs may be given. ”

“ Victims of con­sti­pa­tion have more or less haphazardly resorted to the enema as a ready means of relief—a recourse that was often, nay generally, against the advice of their medical counselor: a professional opposition that indicates either ignorance, mistaken judgment, or fear of losing a profitable patient. ”

“ So soon as the patient feels that she has taken all that she can retain, she should lie down on the left side, and retain the water as long as possible, as it is thus rendered more effective. An enema so taken will be very much more effective than one taken in the ordinary manner of sitting on the toilet. In the method just described more water can be used and it will be longer retained; it can be felt to go up along the course of the large bowel, and it will often be found very effective when the ordinary enema fails. ”

“ Aperient enema. Lather soap in thirty ounces of warm water, using plenty of soap to make a good solution; or use plain warm water or weak gruel; the addition of one or two tablespoonfuls of oil is of advantage. Inject slowly into the bowel with short tube; if it does not cause uneasiness, inject the whole amount. The injection should be retained as long as possible.
Epsom salts, or sulphate of magnesia. Dose, two teaspoonfuls or more. Is a saline purgative, giving a copious watery motion, rapid in its action, and useful in fevers or congestion of the liver. It also increases the flow of urine. ”

“ Let me impress upon all young girls the fact that regularity of the bowels is necessary if they would enjoy good health and clear complexions. Many of the muddy pimpley complexions come from no other cause, and it is a fruitful source of headache. For immediate relief, an enema of salt and warm water should be administered, and if the sufferer objects to the regular dose of medicine, the enema given regularly will often establish a cure. ”

“ For children the simplest laxative is one teaspoonful of Husband's milk of magnesia, to be taken in one glass of water on rising.
Enemas.— Perhaps one of the most common methods used by the laity for the relief of constipation is the rectal injection, or enema. Enemas habitually given to unload the bowels are productive of much harm by overdistending the rectum, so that in time the rectum fails to react to the normal stimulus— namely, the presence of the feces— as it otherwise would. But by some means or other the bowels must be well moved once every twenty-four hours. ”

“ A grown person should take from two to four pints, and a child from one to two pints. After the enema is finished give the bedpan immediately; the enema will, however, be more effective if retained a few minutes. The bedpan should be given and removed according to the directions on page 176. Sometimes an enema is expelled with such violence that it soils the upper sheet; to protect the covers a rubber sheet may be spread over the patient's knees and legs. Since an enema sometimes causes nausea or faintness, a patient should be watched constantly during the process. ”

“ The rectal enema, taken in the rational way, simply dilates the portion of the gut that is morbidly contracted—a procedure that is very beneficial and should be continued just so long as any remnant of the inflammation remains in the tissues. Kindly treatment is essential, because ulcerative inflammation is an irritable condition and tends to contract the muscular tissue at the slightest touch of a foreign substance. ”

“ So much will this before-bed enema do for him that he may soon find it unnecessary to take the preliminary injection on rising, inasmuch as fermentation and gas will no longer trouble him. But individual experience and intelligence must dictate the course in this respect. Let the patient study himself and note the demands of his system. It may even be, indeed it is frequently the case, that a patient requires several enemas during the day. When abnormality has set in, it gives rise to all sorts of freak requirements, and the victim must, for a time, accede to its whims. ”

“ Should his stomach reject it thus administered, it must be given as an enema. Its place in the plan of all enlightened medical treatment is too lofty to need my insisting on. We must rely on it at Lord's Island every step of our way. It will not have been within our patient's system five minutes before the pulse shows it, nor ten before he feels from head to foot as if he had taken some powerful and generous stimulant. It is always wise to give beef-tea, even just before a bath of any kind, and it is never well to enter the Russian bath on an empty stomach. ”

“ A good nutritive enema may be made as follows: The yolks of 2 fresh eggs well battered in about 1⁄2 pint strong beef tea, or in 2 tablespoonfuls (half a canister) of Brand’s extract of beef, dissolved in warm milk. About 1⁄2 wineglassful port wine, or 1 tablespoonful brandy may be added in cases of extreme exhaustion. It should be given at about blood heat—100° F. An active purgative enema may be made with: 4 tablespoonfuls castor oil, 1 teaspoonful oil of turpentine, and about 1 pint well-strained gruel, or soap and water. An enema of plain soap and water often answers very well. ”

“ Occasionally with the aid of the photophore, and even without it, the warm two-ounce enema containing a level teaspoon of baking soda and a level teaspoon of salt to a pint of water when allowed to flow into the bowel, will soon bring down both gas and feces to the great relief of the baby. Warm water to drink is also very helpful. Putting the feet in very warm water is also quieting to the crying colicky babe. ”

“ Moreover, when the time comes that the bowel is freed from the disease that occasioned the occlusion and ob­sti­pa­tion,—that is to say, when the bowels evacuate themselves naturally three times a day,—then the enema itself may be omitted, or it may be continued without harm by those whose sense of cleanliness would induce them to keep up the practice in preference to the uncleanly habit of using toilet paper as a partial means toward cleanliness. Surely there is no harm in substituting a better habit for a worse one—one, moreover, that we should be ashamed to continue! ”

“ Above all, keep the child quiet and apply heat. The hot water bottle is most excellent. An enema of hot water often gives entire relief without the use of other remedies. I have known large families of children, in which for years no other means was used for the successful control of this disease.
Dysentery is indicated by mucus and blood with straining. It is an inflammation of the rectum and large intestines. Warm flaxseed tea injections after the discharge give great relief. Compresses should be put on the bowels for an hour or two at a time, three or four times a day. ”

“ To one pint of water gruel or thin starch add a table spoonful of castor oil, or the same quantity of common lard, and a table spoonful of salt. This is an excellent cathartic.
Form III.
Take of powdered senna two scruples, of soft soap one ounce, to which add a pint of boiling water. This [Pg 24] is a very efficient cathartic enema in obstinate constipation, arising from colic, or other more inflammatory conditions of the bowels. ”