Bowels which are forced into double action to-day—must, consequently, be costive to-morrow, and Constipation will be caused by the remedy you have recourse to to remove it,—this has given rise to a Vulgar Error,—that the use of even the mildest Laxative is followed by Costiveness.
Rhubarb is particularly under this prejudice,—because it has been more frequently employed as a domestic remedy,—and unadvisedly administered in either too little, or too large a Dose. It has, however, been recommended by a Physician of acknowledged Ability, and extensive Experience.
“If the Bowels are constipated, they should be kept regular by a Pill of Rhubarb of five grains every morning.”—Pemberton on the Abdominal Viscera, p. [113].
People are often needlessly uneasy about the Action of their Bowels.—If their general Health is good, and they have neither Head-ach nor other deranged sensations, and they live temperately, during the second period of Life, whether they have two motions in one day, or one in two days, perhaps is not of much consequence;—however, that the Alvine Exoneration should take place regularly is certainly most desirable;—especially after Thirty-Five years of age[99], when the elasticity of the machinery of Life begins to diminish.
To acquire a Habit of Regularity, Mr. Locke, who was a Physician as well as a Philosopher, advises that “if any person, as soon as he has breakfasted, would presently solicit nature, so as to obtain a stool, he might in time, by a constant application, bring it to be habitual.” He says “I have known none who have been steady in the prosecution of this plan, who did not in a few months obtain the desired success.”—On Education, p. 23, &c.
“It is well known that the alvine evacuation is periodical, and subjected to the power of habit; if the regular call is not obeyed, the necessity for the evacuation passes away; and the call being again and again neglected, habitual costiveness is the consequence.”—Hamilton on Purgatives, p. 72.
It will facilitate the acquirement of this salutary evacuation,—to take at night—such a dose of an Aperient medicine, as Experience has pointed out, as just sufficient to assist nature to produce a Motion in the Morning.
Habitual Costiveness is not curable by Drugs alone,—and is most agreeably corrected by Diet and Regimen, those most important, and only effectual, although much neglected (because little understood) means of permanently alleviating Chronic Complaints, for which
“Coquina est optima Medicina.”
Strong Constitutions are generally Costive[100],—that perfect and vigorous action of the absorbents, which is the cause of their strength, is also the cause of their Constipation:—