he feces daily. Though they suffer from the
effects of self-poisoning, yet they have no such well-defined symptoms
of local disease and functional disturbance as are always found in
those who have chronic constipation. Nevertheless, they have
disturbances of practically all the functions of the system. Believing
as they do that the evacuation of their bowels is complete, they are at
a loss to find a cause for the toxemia (blood-poisoning),
mal-nutrition, debility and general atony. The symptoms of
auto-infection with the semi-constipated are as complex as with the
severer cases, but not so well defined. The most prominent symptoms are
those connected with the process of katabolism, that is, of
degeneration of the tissues, as indicated by their color and texture.
The liver, however, is usually held responsible for the bad complexion,
impaired nutrition, constipation and diminished vitality, when really
the liver is only indirectly concerned, as made manifest in the
previous articles. The seat and source are found to be the diseased
colon and rectum.

Dr. Treves says: "The colon being the part of the bowel involved in
obstruction due to fecal accumulation, it may be further assumed
that the blocking of the gut will most usually concern its lower or
terminal parts. Accumulation of feces is most common in the rectum
and sigmoid flexure, and then in the cecum. Masses of feces may
block the colon at any point, and more particularly at the flexures
of the bowel. Still, the three common sites of the accumulation are
those just named. The accumulation in the colon may assume the form
of a more or less isolated nodule or mass. Thus a considerable lump
may be found in the cecum or sigmoid flexure and the rest of the
colon be comparatively clear of any gross accumulation. An isolated
lump may even persist after free purgation. On the other hand, the
accumulation may assume the form of several isolated fecal masses.
One of them may occupy the cecum, another the transverse colon, and
possibly a third the sigmoid flexure. The bowel between these
masses may appear to be fairly clear."

A number of the exciting causes of inflammation of the lower or
terminal portion of the large intestine have been mentioned. It cannot,
however, be too strongly emphasized that chronic inflammation of the
colon and rectum results in hyperkinesis (excessive muscular
irritability) and contra