History Colon Therapy
The value of tissue cleansing through colon lavage (irrigation or washing out of an organ) has been practiced for over three thousand years.  Colon cleansing was first described in 1500 B.C. in the 'Ebers Papyrus', an ancient Egyptian medical document.  Hippocrates (4th and 5th century B.C.) and Galen in the 2nd century were proponents of colon lavage for fever therapy. In these earlier times, lavage treatments were often implemented in a river by using a hollow reed to induce water flow into the rectum.

Centuries later, the benefits of colon lavage were still recognized. The 17th century became known as the "age of the enema", or the "age of clysters".  It was an acceptable practice in Parisian society to enjoy as many as three or four enemas a day, the belief being that an internal washing or "lavement" was essential to well-being. 

Since the turn of the century, colon hydrotherapy has experienced periods of popularity with alternating periods of rejection.  The primary factors responsible for the stereotypes, misconceptions and general ambivalence was the practice of this therapy by the untrained, which was detrimental to its acceptance by the medical profession. 

Despite the wavering of advocacy toward this practice in the early 1900's, the value of colon hydrotherapy was acknowledged by many medical practitioners of that era.  Most noteworthy were J ames A. Wiltsie M.D., Joseph Waddington M.D., and John H. Kellogg M.D.

In the early 1900's Dr. John H. Kellogg M.D. extensively used colon therapy on some forty thousand of his patients.  In a 1917 edition of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Dr. Kellog reported that in over forty thousand gastrointestinal disease cases, he had used surgery in only twenty cases.  The rest were helped as a result of cleansing the bowels, diet and exercise.

Dr. Waddington stated , in his work "Scientific Intestinal Irrigation and Adjuvant Therapy", the following: "Abnormal functioning of the intestinal canal is the precursor of much ill-health, especially of chronic disease. Restoration of physiological intestinal elimination is often the important preliminary to eventual restoration of health in general".

Dr. Wiltsie contends, "our knowledge of the normal and abnormal physiology of the colon and its pathology and management has not kept pace with that of many organ systems of the body.  As long as we continue to assume the colon will take care of itself, it's just that long that we will remain in complete ignorance of perhaps the most important source of ill health in the whole body".

Today, as people look for alternatives to the over prescribed, over priced and often consequential drug therapy regimen, they are once again discovering the benefits of the natural alternative to maintaining a healthy and viable colon.   Advances in modern technology (safety and effectiveness of colon hydrotherapy instruments) and the standardization of therapist training have again made this alternative modality a safe, viable, and convenient option for many.

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