356 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY 



It has been suggested in Chapter XV that the human 

 colon is, perhaps, as much a menace as a support to the 

 individual. The idea that man would be better with- 

 out it has been freely entertained. When it has been 

 absolutely necessary to remove it and the immediate 

 dangers of the operation have been passed, there has 

 been no trouble in maintaining good nutrition. The 

 discharges are watery and voluminous but contain 

 little more than the normal food residues. In a few 

 cases the colon has been removed, not because of local 

 disease, but in the hope of bettering the general health 

 through checking auto-intoxication. Occasionally the 

 measure seems to be justified by the happy results ob- 

 tained but surgeons do not recommend it unless the 

 condition is quite grave. 



Und creating. Most of the popular writing on topics 

 of this kind presses home the teaching that most people 

 eat more than they should. There can be no doubt 

 that overeating is common, especially among men, and 

 most of all among those who have plenty of money. 

 But we can hardly question that there are multitudes 

 of people who are underfed. There are the very poor 

 and there are those with more adequate incomes who 

 still economize unwisely upon their food. Women are 

 prone to make this mistake. They prefer to have money 

 for so many other things that they do not allow them- 

 selves enough to eat. Often they are alone in their 

 homes at noon and are too indifferent to make the 

 exertion of getting a square meal. Appetite soon flags 

 and a habit of undereating is established. 



People who do not eat enough are likely to be under- 

 weight, pale, and sensitive to cold. They are often 

 good workers but in their performance they are apt to 

 appear conscientious rather than enthusiastic. They 

 give an impression of having little energy to spare. They 

 are apt to be light and fitful sleepers if not actual sufferers 

 from insomnia. But the most evident effects of under- 

 feeding are generally observed in the mental attitude. 



