CHAS. A. TYRRELL, M.D.
Reading edition
134 West 65th Street, New York City
1915
Copyright, 1901 by ALCINOUS B. JAMISON, M.D. 43 W. 45th Street, New York U. S. A.
TO THE UNFORTUNATE SUFFERER FROM ILLS DESCRIBED IN THIS VOLUME AND TO THOSE WHOM I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CURING THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BEAUTY'S FALL. It was an image good to see, With spirits high and full of glee, And robust health endowed; Its face was loveliness untold, Its lines were cast in beauty's mold; At its own shrine it bowed. With perfect form in each respect, It proudly stood with head erect And skin surpassing fair; Surveyed itself from foot to head, And then complacently it said: "Naught can with me compare." When lo the face began to pale, The body looked too thin and frail, The cheek had lost its glow; The tongue a tale of woe did tell, With nerves impaired its spirits fell; The fire of life burned low. In the intestinal canal Waste matter lay, and sad to tell, Was left from day to day; And while it was neglected there It undermined that structure fair, And caused it to decay. The doctor's words I would recall Who said: "Neglect precedes a fall," And verily 'tis true; For ye who disregard your health, And value not that precious wealth, Will surely live to rue.
PREFACE.
The following chapters were contributions to Health—a monthly magazine published in New York City. Certain peculiarities of form and considerable repetition of statement—both of which the reader cannot fail to notice—are owing to the fact that about two-thirds of the chapters were written under the caption "Auto-genetic Poisons in the Intestinal Canal and their Auto-infection." In revising these contributions for book form I have given to each chapter a caption of its leading thought; but I am convinced that repetition of some of the matters treated, especially if the repetition be in a somewhat different connection, is not such a very bad thing. I have used my blue pencil sparingly, and as a consequence the consecutive reader will find that constipation, diarrhea, biliousness, indigestion, auto-infection and proctitis are treated in nearly all the chapters—but with varying applications. Therefore anyone suffering from one of these complaints would better read the whole book instead of only the chapter with the corresponding title.
These pages were written for intelligent laymen by a specialist, during a busy, assiduous practice. I take such radical ground, however, going to the very root of the matter, that the general practitioner will do well to give my thesis his careful consideration; he should at least glance at the following Introduction for the gist of my claim.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Man, Composed almost wholly of Water, is Constipated. Why? 1
CHAPTER II.
The Physics of Digestion and Egestion 12
CHAPTER III.
The Interdependence of Anus, Rectum, Sigmoid Flexure and Colon 24
CHAPTER IV.
Indigestion, Intestinal Gas and Other Matters 29
CHAPTER V.
Key to Auto-Infection 36
CHAPTER VI.
How Auto-Infection Affects the Gastric Digestion, and Vice Versa 46
CHAPTER VII.
How Auto-Infection Affects Intestinal Digestion, and Vice Versa 56
CHAPTER VIII.
The Cause of Constipation and how we ignorantly Treat it 64
CHAPTER IX.
Cures for Constipation: "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" 71
CHAPTER X.
Biliousness and Bilious Attacks 78
CHAPTER XI.
King Liver and Bile-Bouncers 83
CHAPTER XII.
Semi-Constipation and Its Dangers 89
CHAPTER XIII.
The Etiology of the Most Common Form Of Diarrhea, i.e., Excessive Intestinal Peristalsis 98
CHAPTER XIV.
Ballooning of the Rectum 107
CHAPTER XV.
Ballooning of the Rectum—continued 117
CHAPTER XVI.
The Usual Diagnosis and Treatment of Bowel Troubles Wrong 126
CHAPTER XVII.
Costiveness 132
CHAPTER XVIII.
Inflammation 137
CHAPTER XIX.
Proctitis and Piles 148
CHAPTER XX.
Pruritus or Itching of the Anus 156
CHAPTER XXI.
Abscess and Fistula 164
CHAPTER XXII.
The Origin and Use of the Enema 173
CHAPTER XXIII.
How often should an Enema be Taken? 180
CHAPTER XXIV.
Man's Best Friend 190
CHAPTER XXV.
Physiological Irrigation 191
CHAPTER XXVI.
Proper Treatment for Diseases of Anus and Rectum Essential 202
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Body's Book-keeping 215
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Selection and Preparation of Food 220
CHAPTER XXIX.
Diet for Indigestion 227
CHAPTER XXX.
Diet for Constipation and Obstipation 231
CHAPTER XXXI.
Costiveness, Diet, etc. 235
CHAPTER XXXII.
Diet for Diarrhea 237
A Final Word 240
NO. 1.
Chronic Constipation and the Use of the Enema 245
NO. 2.
Objections to the Use of Enema Answered 257
INTRODUCTION.
The keynote of this book is Proctitis, inflammation of the anal and rectal canals. Hardly a civilized man escapes proctitis from the day of the diaper to that of death. The diaper is in truth chiefly responsible for proctitis, and proctitis is in turn chiefly responsible for chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, auto-infection; and hence for mal-assimilation, mal-nutrition, anemia; and for a thousand and one reflex functional derangements of the system as well. The inflamed surface of the intestinal canal (proctitis) inhibits the passage of feces. Absorbent glands begin to act on the retained sewage, and the whole system becomes more or less infected with poisonous bacteria. Various organs (especially the feeblest) endeavor to perform vicarious defecation, and the patient, the friends, and even the physician are deceived by such vicarious performance into thinking and treating it as a local ailment. I cannot, accordingly, insist too emphatically that proctitis, the exciting cause, must be treated primarily if we would cure chronic constipation. Millions of human beings are sent to untimely graves by these ailments. Indeed, the body of nearly every human being is a pest-house of absorbed poison instead of being the worthy temple of a wondrous soul. All due to Proctitis!