History
The rationale for colon cleansing is the concept of "auto-intoxication", the idea that food enters the intestine and rots. The ancient Egyptians believed that toxins formed as a result of decomposition within the intestines, and moved from there into the circulatory system causing fever and the development of pus. The Ancient Greeks adopted and expanded the idea, applying their belief in the four humours. In the 19th century, studies in biochemistry and microbiology seemed to support the autointoxication hypothesis, and mainstream physicians promoted the idea. The idea was promoted most strongly by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov (1845-1916), who thought that these toxins could shorten the lifespan. Over time, the concept broadened to "auto-intoxication", which supposes that the body cannot fully dispose of its waste products and toxins, which then accumulate in the intestine. In some cases, the concept led to radical surgeries to remove the colon for unrelated symptoms.
Auto-intoxication enjoyed some favor in the medical community from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, but was discarded as advances in science failed to support its claims. A 1919 paper Origin of the so-called auto-intoxication symptom in the Journal of the American Medical Association marked the beginning of the rejection of the auto-intoxication hypothesis by the medical community.
Despite this, "auto-intoxication" persists in the public imagination. The practice of colon cleansing has undergone a resurgence in the alternative medical community, supported by testimonials and anecdotal evidence and promoted by manufacturers of colon-cleansing products.
Read more about this topic: Colon Cleansing
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