FEW persons deem constipation serious. They remember that in childhood whenever they had difficulty in this respect mother gave them some simple purge and in a short time there was return to normal conditions. Hence the trouble was not one to cause anxiety and scarcely needed consideration.
Constipation, however, is a cause of numerous maladies. Mr. Barkers excellent book on this subject would be a revelation to many who treat lightly an ailment that is fraught with so many possibilities of evil. He has shown that fearful affections can be traced to static constipation even cancer.
That this is almost everybodys trouble is shown by the enormous quantities of pills that are swallowed. Only recently one dispensing company gave in its yearly report a glowing story of its increased sales and local chemists confirm the opinion that pills and other aids to relieve constipation are in constant demand. Furthermore, every practitioner is struck with the number of patients who complain of the necessity of taking purgatives.
Note, however, that these palliatives do not cure. Any apprentice in the chemist shop can give the suffers a purge, but that is followed often with obstinate dryness of the rectum that renders a natural motion impossible. What then is essential to a cure ? Simply to avoid a purge and yet secure relief. It will be evident, therefore, that this cannot be accomplished with allopathic drugs.
On the other hand, the Homoeopath or Biochemist can cure constipation in those who for years have been dependent on live pills and other medicaments and have given up all hope of betterment. How many patients formerly slaves of painful purges speak to-day with gratitude of such relief from what was the bane of their life.
Some months ago a music-teacher who visited neighbouring village complained of constipation and blind piles. His profession necessitated much sitting and this consequently led to congestion what favoured the ailment. He had little pain but during the night irritation often prevented sleep.
His doctor assured him that there was only one cure-operation. But he was a nervous man and afraid of the knife, therefore wished to see what biochemistry could do. Calc. fluor. alternated with Sulphur brought about a speedy cure.
A farmers wife said she had been trouble with obstinate constipation for many years. She was, however, acquainted with several homoeopathic polychrests and found them helpful. Unfortunately she was unable to diagnose the particular form of constipation from which she suffered and offered herself for biochemic treatment. It was a case of semi-paralysis of the rectum. She was given Kali phos. alternated with Natrum sulph., both of which she found of infinite value.
An interesting case was that of a young woman who was born in India. She had had several ailments in past years. Her skin was dry and her head covered with dandruff the latter causing much distress. There was also sexual trouble. But the most prominent symptoms was obstinate constipation and piles and to this we ascribed all other ailments. Again Calc. fluor. alternated with Sulphur brought relief.
A letterpress printer knowing no better constantly visited the chemist for pills that were said to be a certain cure for this almost universal ailment. The pills gave relief, but in other regards proved ineffective. He consulted his doctor-formerly in the Navy- who gave him a decoction that caused much pain and aggravated the disease. At length he tried biochemistry and now both constipation and piles are only memory.
The wife of a brickmaker was told she was incurable. It was certainly one of the worst cases I remember. She went several days without visiting the lavatory. Then would take nine or ten pills said to be worth a guinea a box. During the consultation I gathered that the motions when possible were passed in dark balls-an evidence of paralysis. Since she had much pain Ferrum phos alternated with Kali phos. was restorative.
A relative who paid frequent visits, in course of conversation told us that she suffered from piles and varicose veins. These two maladies are often allied and treated as one complaint. Having a splendid remedy in Calc. fluor. this was alternated with Natrum mur.-indicated by her watery tongue-and the effectiveness of biochemic treatment was again strikingly demonstrated.
We are sometimes asked what is the best preventive of piles. They naturally come either from relaxation or constipation. We must, therefore, avoid both extremes- especially the latter. The constipated find it advisable to take bran porridge (equal parts of bran and oatmeal) for breakfast and the biochemic remedies indicated by the keynotes. Even the worst cases seldom need operation.
During an experience of fifty years I have not found a single patient who did not respond readily to well-selected biochemics. And, no doubt, other practitioners can confirm my conviction that medication is sufficient to ensure a radial cure.
