By: Maurice H. Kowan, B.S., M.D.

Disease is an abnormal state; it is perfectly natural to be healthy.  For a person in ill-health to attain this natural state requires careful planning, self-discipline and hope.

Where should one start in the master plan of rehabilitation?  The very first step in the planning of a new city or community is the control of sanitation and sewage disposal.  In the human, regulating the colon or large bowel-the body’s waste disposal system-becomes the first step toward health.

What can we do for a crippled colon?

At birth the colon is free from germs of any kind.  As soon as food is ingested, the intestinal flora (bacterial life) develops.  At first it is a beneficial aciduric one.  Later in life a proteolytic putrefactive type of flora (due chiefly to excess proteins) flourishes in the colon.

As the years pass, wrong diet, lack of natural, unprocessed foods, ingestion of harsh roughage, abuse by laxatives and drugs, as well as the neglect of establishing regular bowel habits, lead to irritation of the colon, interfering with proper function.

In my opinion, one should have at least two normal bowel evacuations a day.

Incidentally, the length of the colon is an accurate index as to the type of diet one should adhere to.  Animals with long colons are herbivorous, or plant-eating, in nature.  Animals with short colons are meat-eaters.  Animals with medium colons are omnivorous, that is, they eat both meat and plants.

Problems develop

The large bowel, or colon, is a natural sewage reservoir and is the most abused organ of the entire body.  Because it has no sensory nerves to warn us, it suffers in silence the mistreatment that is heaped upon it in an effort to make it “move” Tons of harsh laxatives, purgatives and cathartics, herbs, roughage, bacterial concoctions and mineral oil pass through it in a vain effort to conquer poor functioning; chronic intestinal stasis or plain constipation.

As one matures, the colon may become redundant, elongated, inflamed, ulcerated, impacted, and may develop adhesions, diverticuli and even obstructive tumors.  Truly it has now become a “crippled” colon, a very serious problem to one striving to regain a normal state of health.

The function of the colon must be restored immediately.  This will aid materially in restoring good liver functions and freeing the entire body from the ill effect of a toxic colon.

A “crippled” colon needs help, but not in the form of harsh bulk, irritating mineral oils, laxatives, cathartics or types of foods that may cause irritation, such as spinach, prunes and rhubarb.  The best and most effective method is the ordinary enema for symptomatic relief and the colonics irrigation for more permanent results.

Difference defined

Just what is the difference between an enema and a colonic?  The enema usually consists of one or two quarts of a solution taken in one of several positions that insure its retention.  This is excellent for ordinary conditions, fevers, constipation, and for nutritional purposes.  The colon is an absorptive organ and the enema can be used as a means of introducing into the body vitamins, food and medicinal products when, for various reasons, oral intake cannot be employed.  In fact, the late Max Gerson, M.D., made the coffee enema famous as an agent for stimulating bile to relieve a congested liver.

Whereas the cleansing enema is habit forming and of temporary value, the colon irrigation is a stimulating, corrective modality, it insures internal body sanitation-the first and most important step is the restoration and maintenance of good health.

Normal action

Just what are the earmarks of a normal colon?  It must evacuate its contents as a soft, non irritating, non odorous mass, golden yellow in color, two or three times in 24 hours.  One evacuation daily is not sufficient for good health.

Bear in mind, the in a poorly functioning colon food residues are decaying, liberating harmful toxins and dangerous and-products which furnish, as in any cesspool, the environment for dangerous bacteria.  And to further complicate matters, the colon is a highly efficient absorptive organ which, at times, floods the body with the harmful end-products of putrefactive excreta.

Methods to follow

What should one do to establish normal bowel hygiene?  Use laxatives, excess roughage and bulk, enemas, colonics?

All laxatives may be compared to an enema in reverse.  The irritation set up by the oral intake of these irritants causes a profuse outpouring of body fluids from 25 to 30 feet of small intestine, flooding the colon to activate it.  This method is to be condemned except for use on rare occasions.

Natural soft bulk is very helpful to maintain colonic action, but is contraindicated in severe colitis and obstructive conditions.

The enema and colonic remain.  Which is better?

The enema has a most useful function in bringing stimulating fluids into the colon, but is habit forming and tends to destroy the normal reflexes of the colon.  However, with all of its disadvantages it is a most useful and valuable method.