The Bowel Movement
Bowel waste matter, called the stool, tells an enlightening story of body function. It tells us through its color, form and other characteristics of possible serious disease, and often is the only abnormality present to herald approaching trouble.
We recognize various meanings of the bowel movement, based on simple body functions which influence the bowel waste. The average normal bowel movement, which may occur about once a day, is semi-soft, banana shaped and about walnut brown in color. It sinks in water, is usually slow to dissolve, and its odor which is always disagreeable, can during disease, be especially obnoxious.
What can be learned from the abnormal bowel movement? The frequency of the bowel movement varies from once or twice a day to a movement every two or three days. It is not necessary to have a movement every day to maintain good health, for as we grow older, lessened activities tend to slow down bowel action. Constipation however, of a stubborn nature, may mean an obstructing growth in the colon and it should be carefully observed until normalcy returns, or the physician has been visited.
The solidity of the bowel movement may be similar to thin mud in diarrhea, frequently seen with food poisoning, flu, or colitis in the bowels. A much hardened stool, approaching the intestinal consistency of wood, usually accompanies constipation so common with inactivity, and frequently seen in bedridden or debilitated people. The shape of the bowel movement, normally approaching a banana form may become a thin pencil shaped stool, when any constriction of the colon outlet is present. This may mean a growth in the colon, or more probably an irritated anal sphincter, possibly due to a fissure, abscess or other anal disease. With diarrhea of course, the bowel movement may become very slim, because only after a period of collecting and packing can the stool assume its usual thickened form.