The blood is dependent for its richness not only on the digestive fluids, but also on the proper eliminating powers of the system. If you would avoid premature decay you must not neglect the reservoir of vitality, the alimentary canal, but see to it that it be kept clean and pure. Then will the elixir of life spring from an almost inexhaustible fountain. To recur to our plant analogy. Keep the soil in your own vegetable garden sweet, for intestinal cleanliness corresponds to soil fitness. Purity of the stomach and bowels is more important than quantity or quality of food. That defecation should occur normally two or three times in twenty-four hours is more important than that three meals should be eaten within that time. The conveniences for eating and drinking are on every hand, but oh, how few, inaccessible, miserably constructed, and poorly cared for, are the toilet cabinets for the accommodation of the gourmand! Suspenders and silk hats mark the progress of our outer refinement; toilet cabinets and flushing appliances, of our inner. When the _inner_ refinement comes we shall live longer and be healthier. CHAPTER XIV. BALLOONING OF THE RECTUM. To make plainer what has been said of the rectal and anal tubes or canals, consider the sleeve of an infant's gown. This sleeve well represents the rectal tube, the wrist-band the anal orifice and tube--an inch or more long. Think of the sleeve or rectal tube as being made up of four layers of material or membranes; and counting from the inside of the sleeve or rectum there are (1) the mucous layer; (2) the areolar layer; (3) the muscular layer; (4) the serous layer. The muscular membrane is itself composed of two layers, and may be said to form the framework of the rectum. One layer is composed of circular muscular fibres, and the other of longitudinal muscular fibres. In a similar manner you could make a sleeve out of fine circular rubber bands; then bind them together by rubber strings extending lengthwise of the sleeve. With the circular bands the bore of the sleeve may be contracted or widened; and with the longitudinal bands the length may be shortened or extended. Just so with the corresponding muscular membranes of the rectum, in their normal and abnormal conditions. Outside of the longitudinal muscular bands are the serous and areolar layers, the latter covering the lower half of the rectum.