f which it
is only one of the symptoms, it is dangerous to irritate the already
inflamed mucous membranes lining the intestinal wall. In these cases
the physician prescribes the method of procedure. In ordinary cases,
however, the following suggestions may be used as a guide in
overcoming the condition.

~Available Foods.~--It must be borne in mind that the food must not be
too concentrated in character or it will be so completely absorbed as
to leave little or no residue for the feces, and since the waste
products of metabolism, both of food and body materials, must be
eliminated, a certain amount of fecal matter is necessary to assist in
this work. Vegetables, such as celery, turnips, lettuce, asparagus,
string beans, spinach, and beans, lentils, lima beans, and onions;
fruits, such as raisins, figs, and prunes; and cereals which have not
had all the bran removed, such as cut oats, cracked wheat, etc., on
account of the cellulose they contain, act admirably in overcoming
chronic constipation. It is found, however, that when even these are
not sufficient in certain cases, bran added to the food, either
alone, with the breakfast cereal, or in the form of biscuits, muffins,
or cookies, will give just the necessary amount of ballast to the food
mass to make it stimulate the peristaltic movements by its pressure
upon the intestinal walls.

~Stimuli to Peristalsis.~--Foods yielding certain acids exert a
stimulating action upon intestinal peristalsis.

~Available Foods.~--Those particularly valuable for this purpose are
limes, oranges, apples, prunes, figs, raisins, and most fruit juices
(with the exception of blackberries, which are constipating),
tomatoes, and rhubarb. The fruit juices may be diluted with water or
carbonated water (in the latter case the action is increased because
of the gas contained in the water), and taken the first thing in the
morning, or the fruit may be eaten at night before retiring, and in
the morning on an empty stomach. Prune pulp or prune jelly may be
given to children as well as to adults. The action of this fruit is
augmented by the addition of senna leaves. A conserve made of prunes,
figs, and raisins given in teaspoonful doses at night and before
breakfast often gives splendid results in curing chronic constipation.

~Gas-forming Foods.~--The eating of foods which give rise to a slight
formation of gas owing to their tendency to ferment likewise acts as a
stimulus to intestinal moveme