ction of the diseased portion invaded, thereby
retarding or preventing the passage of feces and gases. A portion of
the daily accumulation of feces in the sigmoid may pass through the
diseased rectum every day, but not without increasing the inflammation
and the spasmodic contraction; this in time inhibits the elimination of
the accumulating feces, which by undue retention become condensed and
hardened. Each day will then be a repetition of the abnormal and
partial effort of the organ to accomplish the act of defecation, and
there will be no thought of the cumulative and chronic intoxication
(poisoning) of the system from the imprisoned feces and gases.

It may be stated without reservation that the rectal canal cannot be
involved in chronic inflammation without involving the anal canal, and
_vice versa_. One half of civilized people are suffering from chronic
constipation, and very nearly the remainder from semi-constipation. The
semi-constipated are now under consideration. The chronic cases are
those that have a _complete_ impaction of feces in the terminal portion
of the sigmoid and rectum; the semi-constipated have the usual daily
_partial_ impaction, that is, an incomplete or partially successful
evacuation of the contents of the bowels: the incompleteness is due to
disease of the anal and rectal canals.

The anal and rectal canals are made up of circular and longitudinal
muscular bands, which, when invaded by disease, lose their proper or
normal sensibility and cooeperative voluntary action. The excessive
contraction of the circular muscles closes the calibre or bore of the
gut, and the excessive contraction of the longitudinal muscles shortens
the length of the gut, thus throwing the mucous membrane into abnormal
folds which increase the depth of the sacculi, or cavities, between the
fibrous folds. In the normal gut the sacculi and bands act as valves to
control the descent of the feces. This valvular arrangement and the
curvatures of the lower bowels conserve the energy of the involuntary
and voluntary nerve force until there is a sufficient accumulation of
feces to excite a normal desire for stool; otherwise the feces would
rush upon the anus at once and occasion much inconvenience.

Catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane of the anal canal will
sooner or later penetrate the muscular structure of that canal, causing
an abnormal irritability and contraction of the sphincter ani and the
other tissues com