ENEMATA, fluid substances passe° into the rectum and large intestines for cleansing, for medication or for nutrient purposes. For the treatment of chronic constipation, enemata of cold or hot water, water and soapsuds, water and glycerine, are found to be of great service. Almost any remedial substance capable of solu tion and absorption may be placed in the rectum or large intestine to affect the parts locally or to exert a general action on the body. Almost all remedies that are taken into the stomach may be taken by means of enemata. The dose has to be somewhat larger in most instances. For the treatment of pinworms, diarrhoea and dysentery enemata are invaluable. In medicine the lower bowel may be used much oftener than it is. In acute colicky pains from °wind* in the bowels there is nothing better, as a rule, than a hot enema of at least two quarts, at a temperature of from 116° to 118° F. As the
lower bowel is not provided with digestive juices, when nutrient enemata are to be given the insoluble food-substances should be so con verted as to render them capable of absorption — hence all gruels, eggs, milk, etc., to be used should first be predigested by peptic or pan creatic ferments. A special form of enema, consisting of hot (116 to 118° F.) salt solu tion (1 teaspoonful of salt to 1 pint of water), allowed to pass in and out of the bowel slowly and made to ascend some distance, is of im mense service in cases of surgical shock, in profuse bleeding, and in cases in which the kidneys refuse to secrete urine. This is termed enteroclysis (q.v.). Enemas for cleansing the bowel should be copious; those for nutrient purposes should be small — not over half an ounce.