Enema in Medical History
Enemas are among the oldest instruments in the art of healing.
Colon Cleansing – A Proven Tradition
Enema syringe for intestinal rinses made of brass, wooden stopper handle, 18th century, 31 cm (Medical History Museum of the University of Zurich).
The term “clyster” derives from the Greek word klyzein = “to wash out” or klysterion = “cleansing.” In ancient Egyptian medicine, the use of enemas was widespread. They were mainly used for gastrointestinal disorders, often associated with constipation, but also for other ailments – such as liver disease or fever, where cleansing the body with intestinal rinses was believed to bring improvement. According to ancient Egyptian belief, disease demons left the body through the anus; for this reason, the physician for internal medicine was often referred to as the “shepherd of the anus.”
Enemas were also used prophylactically, as it was assumed that superfluous waste needed to be regularly removed from the body in order to maintain health.
In Greek medicine, too, the enema was known as a therapeutically significant instrument. According to the teachings of Hippocrates of Kos (460–377 B.C.), health depended on the balance of bodily fluids, which in turn was closely linked to digestive processes. Constipation was considered a sign that the bodily fluids were out of balance. The intestinal enema was therefore intended to remove spoiled, diseased, and excessive fluids from the gastrointestinal tract.
Ancient physicians recommended regular enemas with saltwater, especially during the summer months, in order to “purge” the body.
Hippocratic medicine influenced medical practice up to the 19th century. Enemas, bloodletting, and cupping were among the most common therapeutic and prophylactic procedures used during this time.
With the decline of humoral theory in the mid-19th century, enemas and other methods of purging gradually lost their importance.
Elements of humoral theory, however, found their way into naturopathy, which developed in the same century as a counterpart to conventional medicine. Even today, naturopaths believe that constipation leads to self-poisoning of the body.
This medieval illustration shows a doctor administering an enema to a patient using a funnel.