Does clearing the bowels by laxatives lessen intestinal toxemia?

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Laxatives in Toxemia

Q. Does clearing the bowels by laxatives lessen intestinal toxemia?

A. An investigation conducted by Schulz (Berlin. Klin. Woch., June, 1900) shows that intestinal antiseptics diminish the ability of the intestine to destroy bacteria. After a dose of castor oil and calomel, cholera germs were found abundantly in the stools of dogs to whom cul­tures of this micro-organism had been given, while before the calomel was given no bacteria were found although large quantities of cholera germs had been introduced into the intestine in such a way as to avoid action by the gastric juice. This experiment indicated that the in­testine has in some way the power to destroy bac­teria, probably, as suggested by Buchler, by means of a special ferment. Calomel interferes in some way with the action of this protective process

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