n literary pursuits, find that mental
occupation determines the blood to the brain, thus drawing it from the
extremities; the temperature falls below the natural standard, and there
is almost invariably congestion of the bowels. The inmates of
boarding-schools, factory girls, seamstresses, milliners, employes in
manufacturing establishments, and all who sit and toil almost
unremittingly twelve hours in the day, do not get sufficient exercise of
all the muscles of the body, and are often troubled with obstinate
constipation.

Food prepared according to the modern modes of cookery, is one of the
causes which favors the developement of this derangement. People live
too exclusively upon bolted wheat flour. The branny portion of a kernel
of wheat consists of various nutritive elements, with more than five
times the amount of phosphate of lime contained in fine bolted flour.
Those who daily use boiled cracked wheat are not troubled by
constipation. There is no dryness or hardness of the feces, and the
bowels are evacuated without discomfort.

TREATMENT. Prevention is always better than cure; hence, a few hygienic
directions may not be amiss. Do not disregard the intimations of nature,
but promptly respond to her calls. If there is constipation, overcome it
by establishing the habit of making daily efforts to effect a movement
of the bowels. Taking regular exercise by walking, and lightly
percussing or kneading the bowels for five minutes daily, help to
increase their activity. The habit of early rising favors the natural
action of the bowels. Drinking a glass of water on rising exerts a
beneficial influence. The food should be such as will excite the mucous
secretion of the large intestines, and arouse its muscles to action. For
this purpose, there is no one article that excels coarsely-cracked
boiled wheat. Graham bread, mush, cakes, gems, and all articles of diet
made from unbolted wheat flour are valuable auxiliaries, and may be
prepared to suit the taste. Take the meals at stated hours; be punctual
in attendance, regular in eating, and thoroughly masticate your food.
Irregularity in the intervals between eating, disturbs the functions of
the intestine. The use of ripe fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes,
figs, and prunes, in proper quantities, is sometimes very beneficial.
Trivial or unimportant as these hygienic suggestions may appear, yet
were they observed, constipation, as well as most of the diseases
incident to