duty, therefore, to grant Nature such an opportunity every morning
just after breakfast. This should be done at a definite hour, day
after day, even though the inclination is absent; and in many
instances the desired habit will be formed.

A glass of water on going to bed or on getting up has a laxative
effect; and there are other dietary measures which may be employed
with advantage. Thus, coarseness of the food, as we know, stimulates
intestinal activity, and this fact explains the peculiar value of
Graham bread, bran bread, and corn bread. Fresh fruit and vegetables
counteract constipation for two reasons, namely, because they leave
in the bowels a relatively large amount of undigested substance, and
because they contain ingredients that have a specific purgative
action. Such ingredients are especially noteworthy in rhubarb,
tomatoes, apples, peaches, pears, figs, prunes, and berries.

Enemas used as a routine measure are mischievous. They interfere with
the "tone" of the bowel-muscle so that it acts sluggishly and bring
about a condition in which the bowels will not move without
artificial stimulation. At best these irrigations remove no more than
the contents of the lower bowel, and should be employed only when
there is acute and urgent need of clearing out the rectum.

Obstinate constipation is uncommon, and strong purgatives are seldom
needed. If they become necessary, a physician should be consulted as
to what to take. Whenever dietary measures and exercise, which is
discussed in the next chapter, fail to counteract the natural
tendency toward constipation, the prospective mother may generally
resort to "senna prunes" or some equally simple and harmless
household remedy. Senna prunes are prepared as follows: Place an