and consists of the caecum, colon, and rectum. It
serves as a temporary reservoir for the excrementitial residue of
alimentary matter, and for the effete materials excreted by the glands
contained in its mucous coats. It is distinguished as the _large_
intestine, because of its great size.

Habitual constipation produces many derangements, resulting from
_sympathy, irritation_, or _mechanical obstruction_. By referring to
Figs. 4 and 9, the reader may observe the anatomical relations which the
large intestine sustains to the other abdominal organs. The ascending
colon arises in the caecum (Fig. 4), at the lower part of the abdomen,
and passes over the kidney on the right side, where it begins a
circuitous route around the abdominal cavity, comes in contact with the
inferior surface of the liver, proceeds behind and below the large
curvature of the stomach, emerges on the left side, and passes downward
in front of the left kidney, where it dips into the pelvic cavity, and
ends in the rectum.

If fecal matters are retained until they are decomposed, great injury
follows, since the fluid portions are absorbed, conveyed into the blood,
and, of necessity, corrupt it with their impurities. In this way,
constipation may be the source of general derangement, but _such_
disorder is seldom attributed to the torpid state of this intestine.
There is little doubt but that it thereby imposes a great tax upon the
functions of the liver, and, frequently, the fault is attributed to that
organ instead of the large intestine. Sometimes the blood becomes so
charged with fecal matter that its odor can be detected in the breath of
the subject.

An overloaded condition of the large intestine may cause inflammation of
the liver or dropsy of the abdomen. When the colon is distended, it
becomes a mechanical impediment to the free circulation of the blood in
other organs, and causes congestion of the portal system, predisposing
to chronic inflammation or cirrhosis of the liver. This latter is a
structural affection, and may, in turn, give rise to abdominal dropsy.
In a word, the accumulation of feces in the colon irritates both the
large and small intestines, thus causing congestion of the bowels,
liver, or stomach.

The protracted presence of feculent matter deadens the sensibility of
the intestine, so that great stimulation is required to provoke it to
action. The contents become dry, solid, knotty, and hard, and very
difficult to evacuate