History of Colonics

Colon hydrotherapy has been around for thousands of years. The act of self-cleansing began with enemas, and gradually led to the invention of a colonic machine that revolutionized the process.

Enemas were recorded as early as 1500 B.C., in an Egyptian medical document called the "Eber Papyrus." Hippocrates, Pare and Galen advanced the use of enema therapy.

B ack in ancient times, people gave themselves enemas in the river. They used a hollow reed to induce water to flow into the rectum.

In the late 1400's, King Louis XI credited enemas with relieving his seizures. A later king, Louis XIII received over 200 enemas in one year. Another king, Louis XIV, had over 2000 enemas during his reign (as reported by William Lieberman.) Evidently, Louis XIV even received court functionaries and visitors during the procedure.

In the 1600s, enemas were so popular that no home was without one. Fluids with colors and fragrances were used during this time. Many people did 3 to 4 enemas per day. Enemas were considered essential to well-being. Molier, a playwright of that time, ridiculed the "vogue" of enemas in his plays. Although enemas were popular, many people awaited an instrument that allowed the enema to be self-administered. At that time, enemas required the use of an assistant.

In the late 1600s, Regnier DeGraff developed a enema with a flexible tube (or nozzle) that connected to an enema bag. He described his invention in his book, "De Clysteribus," which was published in 1668.

In the 1600s, medical doctors recommended enemas, but often turned the practice over their apprentices, attendants, and barbers.

In the 1750s, the invention of rubber led to a comfortable rubber nozzle that made enemas much easier and effective to use.

In the 1800s, Austrian Vincenz Priessnitz developed the first hydropathic institution in the world. His regime included water treatments in the mountain streams, as well as a diet consisting of black bread, fresh vegetables and unpasteurized milk.

In the 1800s, enemas were a commonly used to maintain health and prevent disease. Before the expedition of Lewis and Clarke, a physician encouraged them to use enemas for fever and illness. In the 1800s, enemas were a widely accepted procedure for reversing the onset of illness.

In the early 1900's, medical doctor John H. Kellogg extensively used colon hydrotherapy on 40,000 patients. In 1917, he reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that in all but 20 cases -- he used no surgery for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease in his patients. Dr Kellogg ran the Adventist Battle Creek Sanitarium, and m aintained that 90% of disease results from the improper functioning of the colon.

In the 1920's, 30's and 40's, colon irrigation machines were commonly seen and regularly used as a standard practice in hospitals and Doctor's offices.

By the early 1950s, colon hydrotherapy was flourishing in America. In California, the Beverly Boulevard was known as "Colonics Row," because there were so many colonics places located there.  

Toward the mid 1960's, the use of colon irrigation and colon hydrotherapy slowly dwindled. By 1972, most colon therapy instruments were removed from hospitals and nursing homes. Medical doctors tend to favor the use of laxatives or colostomy (surgical procedure for colon removal.)

"In times past, knowledge of the bowel was more widespread and people were taught how to care for the bowel. Somehow, bowel wisdom got lost and it became something that no one wanted to talk about anymore," said Bernard Jensen, D.C.

Today, conventional medicine seems to think that colonics are no longer useful or beneficial. It's been said that the medical community uses the wrong end of the gastrointestinal tract to treat people. In other words, oral remedies are preferred over enemas and colonics.

In the last 10 years, there has been a resurgence of interest in alternative medicine and natural health remedies. Once again, people are discovering the health benefits of maintaining a strong and biologically sound colon. This return to colon hydrotherapy has been bolstered by the development of sophisticated colon hydrotherapy techniques, which make these therapies both safe and convenient.

The beauty of colonics is that it is a natural remedy, using only water and gravity.  Colon hydrotherapy is the administration of warm, filtered and temperature-regulated water into the colon. Fecal matter is softened and loosened, resulting in the evacuation through natural peristalsis. The procedure is repeated several times during an individual session.

It is hoped the grass roots movement towards personal health responsibility, using alternative health therapies to restore and maintain superior health, will be joined by traditional health care practitioners.

Discover the 7 therapeutic effects of colonics:

1. Colonics improves muscle tone.

2. Colonics minimizes the absorption of toxic waste.

3. Colonics promotes a flowing and moving body system (rather than stagnate, inactive, clogged bowels.)

4. Colonics balances & cleanses the colon.

5. Colonics may strengthen the intestines and improves function of the colon.

6. Colonics may help eliminate poisons from the body.

7. Colonics may be a good preventative measure, as it is theorized that many diseases begin in the gastrointestinal track. An abnormally functioning colon may be a precursor to illness, and proper elimination is a natural way to maintain and restore health.

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