History Of The Enema

By Author: Matt Peterson
Total Articles: 4762
Comment this article

History of the Enema
Nearly every ancient civilization throughout history has employed enemas to cleanse their bodies of toxins and waste. The earliest recorded account of the procedure dates back to 1500 B.C. Egypt in a document called the "Eber Papyrus", one of the earliest medical records in existence. Enemas go back even further than this. Several millennia before the Eber Papyrus came to be, ancient pharaohs often appointed a court doctor as "guardian of the anus" whose sole purpose was to administer the royal enema. Egyptians were famed for their cleanliness and would go down to the local river where they inserted hollow reeds to conduct water flow into their rectums. The Greek historians Herodotus and Diodorus recorded these rituals, noting that the Egyptians implemented enemas during three to four day intervals every month to stave off diseases they believed arose from overeating.

The word "enema" actually derives from Greek etymology and means "to send or inject into". Just like the Egyptians, the Greeks often employed the enema to combat various diseases. Noted Greek physician Hippocrates (4th and 5th ...
... century B.C.) recorded in his "Regimen of Acute Disease" the use of the procedure to offset fevers and other bodily disorders. The Greek physician Galen (2nd century A.D.), another avid adherent of enemas, recommended the use of oil and honey as colon cleansers. This advice contradicted that of the 6th century Greek physician Aetius, who believed that only water should be used to clean out the colon.

Early African tribes regularly administered enemas in their cleansing rituals. Certain tribes along the Ivory Coast used calabashes filled with water while other tribes utilized cow horns for their colon cleansings. Mothers routinely used enemas on their children to keep them healthy.

While enemas were widely used through various methods in ancient Sumeria, Babylonia, India, Greece and China, the Native Americans in the New World independently the "syringe" which they made from an animal bladder and a hollow bone leg. The Pre-Columbian South Americans also created an effective tool, fashioning latex into the first rubber enema bag and tube.

In pre-Revolutionary France, it was a daily practice for the French to administer enemas after dinner. They believed that regular colon cleansings contributed to good complexions as well as overall good health. Louis XIV is said to have been administered over 2,000 enemas in his lifetime. His predecessor, Louis XI became an ardent advocate of enemas after he was "cured" from an apoplexy attack by an enema ordered by physician Angelo Catha.

In the Americas, the new settlers commonly used enemas to stave off diseases. It is reported that explorers Lewis and Clarke were advised before their expedition to cleanse their colons in the case of fever and other illnesses. As in other societies, the Americans throughout the centuries passed on the widely held belief that enemas could reverse the onset of various diseases and conditions.

In the early 1900s, John H. Kellogg, a physician practicing in Battle Creek Michigan, advanced the popularity of colon therapy (also called colonics) by administering the procedure to over 40,000 of his patients. In 1917, he reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that in all but 20 cases, he was able to cure his patients of gastrointestinal distress through the use of colonics alone, foregoing any surgical procedure.

The popularity of colonics peaked in American in the 1920s and 30s, where it was not an uncommon sight to find colon "irrigation" machines in physician offices. During the 30s, coffee enemas were introduced in Germany by Dr. Max Gerson as detoxification regimens to fight against tuberculosis and cancer. Dr. Gerson believed that injected caffeine benefited the liver by opening the bile ducts.

In the years following the 1930s, the practice of regular colon cleansings became less frequent and its popularity waned. Today, however, enemas are once again an accepted method of health maintenance. There are various products available on the market, including detox supplements, coffee enema solutions, soaps and other cleansing blends to help maintain colon health. As with any alternative health procedure, those considering using enemas and colonic procedures should first consult with their physician. A strong, healthy colon is essential to overall good health, and for many, enemas are integral to maintaining their colon's health.
About Author:
EnemaKit.com is a leading source of information, tips and colonic products. Live a healthier, longer life. Visit online today.