Death Begins in the Colon

"According to the Royal Society of Medicine U.K - 90% of all chronic diseases are due to infection of the gastrointestinal tract"

IMPORTANT DISCUSSION OF ALIMENTARY TOXEMIA BEFORE THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE OF GREAT BRITAIN
Recently, the subject of alimentary toxemia was discussed in London before the Royal Society of Medicine, by fifty-seven of the leading physicians of Great Britain. Among the speakers were eminent surgeons, physicians, and specialists in the various branches of medicine.

POISONS OF ALIMENTARY INTESTINAL TOXEMIA
The following is a list of the various poisons noted by the several speakers: Indol, skarol, phenol, cresol, indican, sulphurretted hydrogen, ammonia, histidine, urrobilin, methylmercaptan, tetramerhy-lendiamin, pentamethy lendiamine, putrescin, cadaverin, neurin, cholin, muscarine, butyric acid, bera-imidazzolethy-lamine, methylgandinine, ptomarropine, botulin, tyramine, agamatine, tryptophane, sepsin, idolethylamine, sulpherro-globine.

Of the 36 poisons mentioned above, several are highly active, producing most profound effects, and in very small quantities. In cases of these poisons is constantly bathing the delicate body cells, and setting up charges which finally result in grave disease.

SYMPTOMS AND DISEASES DUE TO ALIMENTARY TOXEMIA
It should be understood that these findings are not mere theories, but are the results of demonstrations in actual practice by eminent physicians. Of course it is not claimed that alimentary toxemia is the only cause of all the symptoms and diseases named. Although of many it may be the sole or principal cause, some of them are due to other causes as well. In the following summary the various symptoms and disorders mentioned in the discussion in London, to which reference has been made above, are grouped and classified.

THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS
Duodenal ulcer causing partial or complete obstruction of the duodenum; pyloric spasm; pyloric obstruction; distension and dilation of the stomach; gastric ulcer; cancer of the stomach; adhesions of the omentum to the stomach and liver; inflammation of the liver; cancer of the liver.

The muscular wall of the intestine as well as other muscles atrophy, so that the passage of their contents is hindered. The abdominal viscera lose their normal relationship to the spine and to each other, on account of weakening of the abdominal muscles; these displacements are much more marked and serious in women. Other conditions are: Catarrah of the intestines; foul gases and foul smelling stools; colitis; acute enteritis; appendicitis, acute and chronic adhesions and "kinks" of the intestines; visceroptosis; enlargement of spleen, distended abdomen; tenderness of the abdomen; summer diarrhea of children; inflammation of pancreas; chronic dragging abdominal pains; gastritis; cancer of pancreas; inflammatory changes of gall badder; cancer of gall bladder; gallstones; degeneration of liver; cirrihosis of liver; infection of the gums, and decay of the teeth; ulcers in the mouth and pharynx.

HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS
Wasting and weakening of the heart muscles; micorbic cyamosis from breaking up of blood cells; fatty degeneration of the heart; endocarditis; myocarditis; subnormal blood pressure; enlargement of the heart; the dilitation of the aorta; high blood pressure; arteriosclerosis; permanent dilation of arteries.

Dr. W. Bezley says: "There are a few phases of cardiovascular trouble (disease of heart and blood vessels) with which disorder of some part of the alimentary tract is not causatively associated."

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Headaches of various kinds — frontal, occupital, temporal, dull or intense, hemicrania; headache of a character to lead to a mistaken diagnosis of brain tumor. Dr. Lane tells of a case where a surgeon had proposed an operation for the removal of a tumor from the frontal lobe of the brain; the difficulty was wholly removed by the exclusion of the colon. Acute neuralgia pains in the legs; neuritis; twitching of the eyes and of muscles of face, arms, legs, etc. Lassitude; irritability; disturbances of nervous system, varying from simple headaches to absolute collapse; mental and physical depression. Insomnia; troubled sleep, unpleasant dreams; unrefreshing sleep, the patient awakening tired; excessive sleepiness, patient falling asleep in the daytime; shivery sensation across lower spinal region; burning sensations in face, hands, etc.; epileptiform tic; typhoid state; paralysis; chronic fatigue; horror of noises; morbid introspection; perverted moral feelings; melancholia, mania, loss of memory; difficulty of mental concentration; imbecility; insanity; delirium, coma.

THE EYES
Degenerative changes in the eye; inflammation of the lens; inflammation of the optic nerve; hardening of the lens; sclerotitis; sclero-keratitis; iritis; iridocyclitis; cataract; recurrent hemmorrhage in the retina; eye dull and heavy.

THE SKINS
Formation of wrinkles; thin, inelastic, starchy skin; pigmentations of the skin — yellow, brown, slate-black, blue; muddy complexion; offensive secretion from the skin of flexures; thickening of the skin of the back of the skin - sores and boils; pemphigus; pruritus; herpes; rosacrea; cold, clammy extremities; dark circles under the eyes; seborrhea; psoriasis; pityriasis; alopecia, lichen; planus; jaundice: "An infinitestimal amount of poison may suffice to cause skin eruption."

MUSCLES AND JOINTS
Degeneration of the muscles: "Muscles waste and become soft and in advanced cases tear easily. In young life the muscular debility produces the deformities which are called dorsal excurvation, or round shoulders, lateral curvature, flat-foot, and knock-knee," Weakness of abdominal muscles causes accumulation of feces in the pelvic colon, which renders evaluation of contents more and more difficult. Prominence of bones; rheumatic pains Simulating sciatica and lumbago; various muscular pains; muscular rheumatism; arthritis deformities; synavitis; rickets; arthritis, acute and chronic.

Tubercle, and rheumatoid arthritis are the direct result of intestinal intoxication. Dr. Lane says: "I do not believe it is possible for either of these diseases to obtain a foothold except in the presence of stasis."

GENITO-URINARY AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Various displacements, distortion and disease of the uterus; change in the whole forms contour of woman; fibrosis of breast; wasting of breasts; induration of breasts; sub-acute and chronic mastitis; cancer of breast; morritis and endomestritis; infection of bladder especially in women; frequent urination; atbumosuria; acute nephritis; movable kidney; floating kidney. Dr. Lane goes so far as to say: "Autointoxication plays so large a part in the develoment of disease of the female genito-urinary apparatus, that they may be regarded by the gynecologist as a product of intestinal stasis."

GENERAL DISORDERS AND DISTURBANCES OF NUTRITION
Degeneration of the organs of elimination, especially the liver, kidneys (Bright's disease) and spleen; pernicious anemia; lowered resistance to infection of all kind; premature senile decay; retardation of growth in children, accompanied by mental irritability and muscular fatigue; adenoids, enlarged tonsils; scurvy; enlarged thyroid (goitre); various tumors and thyroid; Raynaud's disease. In those who apparently suffer no harm from constipation during a long series of years there is perhaps, as suggested by Hertz, a partial immunity established. The writer has long believed that such an immunity is sometimes established in the very obstinate constipation which accompanies absolute fasting, because of the cleansing of the tongue and reappearance of appetite which often occurs at the end of the second or third week of the fast, a phenomenon very like that which appears in typhoid fever and other continued fevers. It must not be supposed, however, that even the establishment of so-called immunity insures the body against all injury. The labor of eliminating an enormous amount of virulent toxins, which falls upon the kidneys, damages the renal tissues and produces premature failure of these essential organs. Any process which develops toxins within the body is a menace to the life of the tissues and should be suppressed as far as possible, and as quickly as possible.

The fact that symptoms of poisoning resulting from constipation do not appear at once is no evidence that injury is not done. Dr. William Hunter in the course of the London discussion remarked that the fact that chronic constipation "might exist in certain individuals as an almost permanent condition without apparently causing ill health is due solely to the power and protective action of the liver. It is not any evidence of the comparative harmlessness of constipation per se, but only an evidence that some individuals possess the cecum and the colon of an ox, with the liver of a pig, capable of doing any amount of distoxication." In the face of such an array of evidence backed up by authority of nearly 60 eminent English physicians and many hundreds of other English, U.S., German and French physicians whose names might be added it is no longer possible to ignore the importance of alimentary toxemia or autointoxication as a fact in the production of disease." To no other single cause is it possible to attribute one-tenth as many various and widely diverse disorders. It may be said that almost every chronic disease known is directly or indirectly due to the influence of bacterial poisons absorbed from the intestine. The colon may be justly looked upon as a veritable Pandora's box, out of which come more human misery and suffering, mental and moral, as well as physical than from any other known source.

The colon is a sewerage system, but by neglect and abuse it becomes a cesspool. When it is clean and normal we are well and happy; let it stagnate, and it will distill the poisons of decay, fermentation and putrefaction, into the blood, poisoning the brain and nervous system so that we become mentally depressed and irritable; it will poison the heart so that we are weak and listless; poisons the lungs so that the breath is foul; poisons the digestive organs so that we are distressed and bloated; and poisons the blood so that the skin is sallow and unhealthy. In short, every organ of the body is poisoned, and we age prematurely, look and feel old, the joints are stiff and painful, neuritis, dull eyes and a sluggish brain overtake us; the pleasure of living is gone. The preceding information should impress you with the vital importance of bowel regularity to you and every member of your family.

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