Man is seldom or never in a normal physiological condition. He is either obese or emaciated and lean. Most bodies are anemic and ill-conditioned, a prey to several ailments. Of course, civilized man uses drugs; he would not be civilized were he not to use on occasion a stimulant, tonic, sedative, narcotic, etc., and he has to keep in continual touch with a doctor, to take care of him by prescribing special diet, fasts, exercise, and what not for his numerous bodily infirmities. Generally these prescriptions are ineffective and leave him physically weaker and financially poorer, with the barren consolation that he has really tried everything under heaven that the wisest knew or that money could buy. Yes, indeed, he tries everything: everything but _water_--pure, soft, spring or distilled water. He never--like the flirt--“thought of such a thing”! Very few “humanals” think it worth while to irrigate themselves inside and out. Victims of semi-ignorance, too, get things most abominably mixed. They are often half wrong and half right; hence they never enjoy good, sound, robust health and its blessings. Physiologically, these people are what old-time pastors used to describe as lukewarm--neither hot nor cold, neither good nor bad, neither dirty nor clean, neither fish nor fowl, neither one thing nor another. So we find them also complaining and looking for the fountain of health and strength, but not looking very anxiously--they are not interested enough in the matter. Whenever they possess an equal mixture of ignorance and laziness, there is not much hope for them. [Illustration: Fig. 16. Œsophagus and stomach in their natural relation to the vertebral column and aorta. (Gerrish.)] Note the position of the stomach in health, and how, by slight muscular action, it can free itself of its contents. When dilatation or displacement, or both, occur, the power of rapidly expelling its contents is diminished to the extent in which the change from the normal position and size takes place. I have found that, if there is a normal passing down of the ingesta and also of the feces, the stomach will perform its functions perfectly. Fear of “stomach trouble” is groundless if you keep the digestive and eliminative apparatus in good working order. But this requires that you must keep them clean, and to do so you must drink plenty of water before each meal. [Illustration: Fig. 17. Stomach and duodenum--the liver and most of the intestines having been removed. (Gerrish.) Shows the anatomical relation of the stomach, duodenum, kidneys, diaphragm, and the large artery and vein.]