Liquids must not be swallowed either hot or cold, but about body temperature. Cold water may be taken into the mouth when more palatable than warm and held there until about body temperature before it is swallowed. All liquid should be sipped, not swallowed in gulps.
Cancer of the Stomach. Since the growth most often obstructs the pylorus, the stomach is usually dilated and the general directions for dilation of the stomach should be followed. If the food will not digest in the stomach, one must resort to rectal feeding. Where gastric digestion is near normal, the general principles of diet for ulceration of the stomach should be followed.
Intestinal Disorders
Most cases of intestinal difficulties may traced to a clogged condition, either due to a weakness of the nerves and of the intestinal muscles, and a resultant weak peristalsis, which does not strongly move the mass along its course, or to a failure of the liver to discharge sufficient bile to lubricate the mass. If the waste is not promptly moved through the intestines, irritation may result and the poisons from bacterial fermentations will be absorbed by the system.
Deranged stomach digestion also interferes with the digestion in the intestines.
Constipation. The causes of this difficulty are so varied that it can seldom be regulated by diet alone. It can be helped. A large number of cases of chronic constipation are due to the failure to respond to Nature’s call at a regular time each day, thus establishing a regular habit at a certain hour. Many others are due to the weakness of the muscular walls of the intestines or to the nerves controlling them. In this event the intestinal peristalsis is weak. Still another cause is a failure of the liver to discharge sufficient bile into the intestines to lubricate the foeces. Many chronic cases are due to the pill and drug habit. Where one continues to take pills, the condition brings a result similar to the feeding of “predigested” food,—if the work is done for the organs they become lazy and rely upon artificial aid. Every part of the body requires activity for strength.
If the straight front corset cramps the intestines it may cause constipation by restraining their normal exercise during movements of the body in walking, etc. Every woman who wears the straight front corset should take exercises for the intestines morning and night.